Sunny Seashores

Lauren age 2.5 with Little Reid.

With my sweet dog Sammy.

Grandma, Lauren, Erin, Aunt Debi

 Note: The memory below prompted me to go to the old photo albums and take pictures of the old photos. They really don't have anything to do with the story itself.


Today is a perfect day: 80 degrees, sunny, blue sky with fluffy white clouds and a cool breeze.  I decided to go running around a nearby outdoor track instead of heading to the gym and it was definitely the right call!  The track, however, was a little wet from the torrential downpour last night, and since the track is made out of dirt and sand, it was slightly messy.

So, there I am, running along, when all of a sudden the breeze picks up and a smell fills my nose and I am transported back nearly 20 years.

I'm climbing over large breaker rocks that separate the enclosed beach area from the ocean.  The Miami horizon line gleams orange across the bay as the sun begins to set.  The wind whips my short tangled hair about my head and fills my nose with its salty smell.  My Keds work to find stability on the uneven rocks and sometimes my hands aid in the endeavor.  Grandma stands along the path warning me to be careful and not to get too close to the water, but she smiles as the breeze blows her curly white hair and the park around us quiets down with families departing for dinner.  Seagulls squawk overhead, but their screech is almost like a harmony - they are the backdrop of my childhood.

This was how I spent many a late afternoon growing up.  It was my favorite place - Matheson Hammock park.  It was free after five, so that's when Grandma and I would go.  I climbed the mangrove trees, played in the sand, splashed in the water - but my favorite part, was climbing on the rocks and looking out over that vast ocean knowing one day, I'd go beyond it.  At the time, I don't believe that was a conscious thought. It was just a feeling, standing tall on those giant rocks, looking out at the water and the skyline - for some reason, it held more magic to me than all the sandcastles in the world.

So today, as I ran around that track, the breeze picked up and filled my nose was that same smell, the wind feeling the same way and the same temperature.  I could almost feel the rocks under my toes.  I don't know what kind of sand and rock the track is made out of, but it must contain salt somewhere, because the air picked it up just as the ocean breeze did on the Miami shore, and the smell brought a smile to my lips as my brain surged with memories of a simpler time, full of light and love and careless joy.

Family Reunion at Lake Gaston: Erin, Me, Reid III, Kelly, Megan, Chris, Gma and Gpa in back.

Dirty Dancing, Wedding Planning, and other Joyousness

Messer, Stephanie, me, Tiff at the outdoor movie screening.

Messer, Steph and Me dancing on a rock.

I hadn't seen Stephanie since my last birthday when I met her at her place to go to the Dirty Dancing festival together.  Both our lives are busy and we haven't been the best about keeping in touch, but this was the event to bring us together.  Her friend Messer from Miami also joined us (as she was with us the first time we went to Lake Lure together 2 years ago).  On the ride there we caught up on each other's lives and the time flew by.  Before we knew it we were checking into the Lake Lure Inn which was built in the 1920s and is so quaint and lovely.  They were very accommodating, letting us check in early and change before we headed to Chimney Rock (only a few miles away).  At Chimney Rock we got lunch over the river and then walked along the "River Walk."  On some lovely rocks, we did an impromptu photo shoot with dancing poses (of course) and then went to a coffee shop where Messer and I took Dirty Dancing tests which we both scored 100% on and were therefore entitled to free coffee.  I gave mine to Stephanie.  Every story had a poster in the window about the festival.  Several people had on t-shirts with phrases from the movie like "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" and "I carried a watermelon??" 

Posing on the rocks.

That evening, we set up blankets at the Moorse Park where the outdoor movie screening would take place.  Tiffany and Mitch (her new fiance!) met us there.  We had a little picnic and waited for it to get dark enough for the movie to start. When it began, everyone clapped and throughout the movie, you could hear people saying lines along with the characters and there was lots of "oohing" and "aaahing" over Johnny (Patrick Swayze).  It was a lovely evening, even though it got rather cold, and we had such a blast.  Tiff and Mitch left afterward, but Messer, Steph and I went to a bar very close to our hotel for karaoke night. What we saw there came as a bit of a shock.

Imagine a room full of the most back-woods, hillbilly people you can imagine.  Now imagine them drunk and singing.  Not a pretty picture.  Messer literally sat at the bar staring at the crowd with her mouth open most of the night.  Stephanie and I were being continually talked up by the local clientele and everyone had to deal with the insufferable singing stylings of this couple who thought they were the best thing since sliced bread, but were really just revolting.  Mostly because they were so obnoxious.  When the husband sang, he wore dark glasses and a hat and did crazy Matrix moves with his hands.  It was just bizarre.  The woman thought she was just amazing and later when Stephanie and I got up to sing "Ice Ice Baby," she came and stole the mike from me because she thought she could do it better.  It was ridiculous.  

At karaoke.

I did get to sing my old standby, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and everyone high-fived me afterward and said I did an amazing job and it was the best song of the night.  Stephanie just looked at me and said, "I had no idea you could sing like that and where did that woman voice come from?" After that, we left before the locals got too rowdy or too friendly.  Stephanie was already having to repeat again and again, "I'm MARRIED."

The next morning we got back to the festival site about 10 a.m. for a Charleston lesson.  At the end of the lesson, they started teaching the chorus dance from the end of the movie.  We learned the rest of it later after the mambo lesson (which was taught totally wrong).  It was so exciting to learn the dance from the movie and they said we'd get to do it that night at the outdoor concert. 

Carrying watermelons.

The day was spent eating free watermelon, dancing and listening to the live bands.  Stephanie had to leave for a while to go do an errand for her family, so Messer and I hung out. At one point, a swing band was playing and I really wanted to swing, but Messer didn't really know how and did not want to go up in front of everyone so she grabbed some random bald guy and asked if he could swing.  He said yes, so she asked him to dance with me and he did.  He was actually really good and I had such a good time.  Later his wife saw me by the docks and said "Oh, you're the dancer who danced with my husband.  He was the bald guy." lol

When Stephanie returned, we all got in the car and drove to various locations where the movie was filmed including where the lake lift happened, the steps Baby danced on, the ruins of the old dace room/Kellerman's stage room, and a hotel where the floor from that old dance room had been installed.  That may have been my favorite place.  We came in and the hotel manager was very nice, letting us take off our shoes, traipse around taking pictures and even lying on the floor to "soak up Patrick's essence" as Messer put it.  We had ice cream in Chimney Rock and then went to the resort where the outdoor live band concert would take place that evening.

Dancing on the steps.

In between classic bands like The Clovers and The Embers, the Asheville Ballet performed dances to all the songs from the movie and then did the final "Johnny and Baby" dance.  At the end, everyone who had learned the chorus got up and danced it.  It was so much fun.  Afterward, everyone was dancing on the floor when the guy who played Johnny came up and asked me to dance. We had such a good time and grooved really well together.  The last move we did was a lift/spin and everyone had backed up and was watching us.  It was totally my "Baby" moment.

The next morning Tiffany met the three of us at Chimney Rock State Park to hike around and we had a really nice time.  She left after that and the three of us went back to the Lake Lure Inn to get a tour of Jennifer Gray's suite where she stayed during filming.  Patrick Swayze's was unfortunately occupied.  From there we drove to Hendersonville where we went apple picking and had a great time with my camera and it's 'color selection' tool.  (Refer to photos to see what I mean). 

Sitting on the floor Patrick danced on.

The following Thursday I drove up to Asheville to go see wedding sites with Tiffany, Mitch and her parents (since I'm going to be the Maid of Honor).  First we went to the Biltmore which was very beautiful and would offer a fantastic view if they got married at the Diana statue on top of the hill overlooking both house and mountains.  That evening there was a wedding festival where vendors from all over came to try and suggest their services to future bridal parties.  It gave us a few good ideas, but overall, was a bit disappointing.  That night we went to dinner at Olive Garden and then watched "Something Borrowed" together.

The next day we checked out a really cool venue not far from Tiff and Mitch's house that offered beautiful views and a nice indoor space for the reception at a much lower cost than the Biltmore.  Mitch and I liked that place best.  Next we saw the Grovepark Inn's venue which Tiffany seemed to favor, but which I didn't like as much due to the dated architecture and decor of the indoor space (though the view from the outdoor ceremony spot was lovely).  We had Mexican for lunch and overall it was a great couple days with Mitch and the Carusos. 

Tiff and me climbing a tree in Chimney Rock.

Back at home, I have been learning some really cool new moves in silk class lately, though one of them (a drop move called Foosball), left a big bruise under my left arm - but only b/c I was scared when I first did it and favored one side when I dropped over the other. 

Otherwise, I've been writing up a storm for the paper and wondering when I'm going to have time to finish my graduate school writing sample and start/finish my applications.  Once I get that over with, I'll feel better. 

Apple picking with my "color detection" camera.

The Whirlwind of Fall

I've been so busy lately, I'm actually trying to rack my brain for the highlights.  How in the world does life go by this fast? I've been doing a lot of stories and columns for the paper and am about to take on a new role writing the news briefs for the Young Achievers section that comes out on Tuesdays.  Last Sunday, I had a story about a friend of mine, Bethany, and her upcoming 11-month trip to 11 third world countries to help the least and the lost.  She said, thanks to my article, she's had people coming out of the woodworks to help support her financially, in prayer, or by buying Citipass books from her.  Here is the link to the article - it's a pretty inspirational story! http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/09/11/2589401/ex-nurse-leaving-her-comfort-zone.html#storylink=misearch

I can't imagine quitting my job, trying to raise upwards of $20,000 and taking off to war-ravaged, disease-filled countries where people are so inured to poverty and death, they take it as a given.  She is so very brave!

BOB reunion.

Last Saturday BOB (Bevy of Beauties or Babes of the Bible) - my Bible study group - had a little reunion.  The group has been going for 6 years under the leadership of Kathy Storm and while women have come and gone, once a BOB, always a BOB.  We now have a couple BOB babies as well!  Jen brought her sweet little one Caroline and Bridget brought Natalia.  They are only about two months apart so hopefully they will be great friends! It was so nice catching up with some old members and really appreciating all that BOB has given us. 

This weekend I'm going to Lake Lure with my friend Stephanie and her friend Messer.  Stephanie and I met a couple years ago when we were both teaching dance at Fancy Feet, but as it turns out, she and I went to the same dance studio in Miami and her sister, who is a year younger, and I were best friends in class.  I actually have pictures of us together!  It is such a small world!  Anyway, last year (or the year before??), Stephanie and Messer (who visits from Miami on occasion) and I went to Lake Lure to see the locations from the Dirty Dancing movie and go apple picking.  It was such a great day!  Well this year there is a Dirty Dancing Festival that will have a showing of the movie over the lake, lake lift contests, watermelon carrying contests, dance lessons and competitions and a live concert.  I'm sooo excited and we booked a room for two nights in the Lake Lure Inn which is right there in the action.  It's going to be awesome!

The following Thursday I'm going up to that area again to go with Tiffany (my oldest friend) to check out this wedding festival because she's getting married in a year or so and I'm going to be her maid of honor!  Anyway, she wants me to check this out with her to get different ideas.  We also may meet with a wedding planner at Biltmore to see what they offer.  I'm so excited for her!

After that I have one weekend home before going back to the mountains for a retreat with my Bible study girls.  The weekend after that, back to the mountains to go camping with a bunch of friends from church.  The weekend after that I wanted to fly to San Francisco to visit my cousin and see some friends out there, but now she's not sure I can come and by the time she knows, flights may be too expensive.

Kathy with BOB baby, Natalia.

So yes, fall is a whirlwind season for me.  Not only that, but I'm supposed to be applying to 9 grad schools!!  Ahhhh.  Time, time, please stand still for just a little while!!

Creative Urges

Do you ever have trouble deciding how to express your emotions?  Right now I am torn between the desire to write, sing, dance, run, draw, or just give up entirely and sleep.  I often get these urges (usually late at night when very little is actually practical) where I just feel like I'm being pulled in a million different directions from the inside and I want to scream which leads to the want to run - as though I could outrun the creative urges battling inside me. 

I probably sound schizophrenic right now, but seriously, what do people do with these feelings?  Usually I feel like I can't pick so I end up just ditching the whole idea and watching TV - or blogging instead of writing a creative story which would take significantly more time. 

Part of it comes from what a fantastic day it was and how I really wanted to be outside and I couldn't be and now I'm regretting not taking a long walk or running outside or playing Frisbee.  Tomorrow morning, I think I'll run outside.  My allergies can just take a backseat to the beauty of the day (please let tomorrow be as gorgeous as today!). 

I'm pretty sure, if I could fly, I wouldn't feel this way.  I really wish I could fly.  :)

For Someone Who Hates Good-Byes, I Sure Say a Lot of Them

Sam leaving for the last 1,000 miles of his trip.

CouchSurfing has changed my life.  I love it for so many reasons: meeting new people, learning about new cultures, having free places to stay, feeling like you're connected to the entire world on a personal level.  There is only one downside to CS - saying a lot of goodbyes. 

Some people don't even say goodbyes.  They just say "I hate them, so I don't do them."  For me, that's not the case.  On the outside, I'm great at goodbyes.  On the inside, it depends on the type of goodbye.  I always want the visit to be longer - whether someone is visiting for a couple hours or a couple days.  When they get up and stretch in the way that people do when they are about to leave, my heart drops just a little. (Or when I know I have to go but don't want to).  But, if I know I will see them again, it's okay.  There is only a tiny twinge of sadness when someone who lives in town leaves.  When it is someone who lives out of town but whom I know I'll see again, there is a sadness at the time we'll spend apart, but a joy in knowing we will see each other again. 

Playing "Just Dance" on the Wii w/Marc, Phillip and Mom.

The problem with CouchSurfing is that it is unlikely you will see each other again.  I mean, maybe, in many, many years when you finally make good on that promise to make it back to see them in Europe or vice-versa, but in general, there's just no way you can see everyone you stayed with or who stayed with you again.  Especially for someone like me who has met dozens upon dozens of CSers.  Sometimes, that's not so very hard.  I've liked all my CouchSurfers and CouchSurfing hosts, but I didn't feel like I really connected with all of them.  Some of them were just nice strangers who let me stay.  They had their own lives, I had mine.  But sometimes there are those that you have such a great time with, that you share a special connection with, and when you leave or they leave you, it pretty much sucks. 

With the Germans in an art installation in uptown.

There are a few instances that stand out in my mind.  1) Agrinio, Greece where I stayed with Anna Tomara.  She and I were like long-lost sisters and I felt completely at home in her family.  We talk some on the computer, but who knows how long it will be before one of us has the time and money to make it that far again.  2) Caroline in Dresden, Germany.  While I only stayed there for one or two nights, she was so sweet and invested in my life that it was hard to leave.  3) Katarina in Munich whose light and vibrant personality along with her adorable little dog made me want to adopt them both. lol  4) Aleks in Wurtzburg, Germany, who technically was not a CSer, but whom I met in a hostel there and who hung out with me for two days singing songs from famous musicals and generally entertaining me to no end.

Recently, I've had the experience of saying good-bye to people visiting me.  Sam, who I CSed with in Galveston, TX came to visit on his cross-country bike trip.  It was so exciting to host someone who had hosted me, and this time, goodbye wasn't as hard because in my mind, if I'd already seen him within a year of the first time, I'll probably see him again in future. 

The Labor Day BBQ party.

On Sunday and Monday nights, I hosted 4 German guys from Dresden who are doing an east coast USA tour - and let me just say, they completely made my weekend!  They willingly and joyously played Just Dance with me on the Wii with absolutely no embarrassment.  They thought it was hysterical to dance to "It's Raining Men" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go."  We then played Taboo which they loved despite not knowing many of the words.  Both these activities left me rolling in laughter, and laughter is very good for the soul.  They next day they insisted we go to the Labor Day Parade in Charlotte, which I didn't even know existed, and despite it's complete lameness, I enjoyed it because they were so excited and energetic about the whole thing.  That evening we went to a Labor Day cookout at my friend Fabio's house and between Brazilian Fabio, me and the Germans, we had an impromptu dance party with everyone present which, again, left me in fits of joyous laughter.  Back at my house that night, we stayed up late talking, dancing and laughing our butts off.  I really can't think of a better weekend - which is why it was so difficult to say goodbye on Tuesday morning, knowing I will probably never see them again.

So, I just have to tell myself, yes I  WILL see them again (even if practicality says otherwise) and give myself yet another reason to return to Europe.

Dancing at the BBQ party.

On a sad note, I recently went to go see one of my old colleagues from the Observer in hospice. He was really good to me, taught me a lot, played "bad cop" when I got crazy callers, and stood up for me in every situation.  This is the worst kind of goodbye.

All these goodbyes have also been making me think of my best friends and how every single one of them lives far away.  My college roommate, Casey, is in Seattle and notoriously bad at long-distance communication.  Lieselotte is in Holland and though we do get to talk on Skype, it means that right when something happens I can't call and tell her about it - I have to wait until we are both online.  My cousin Michael is in Florida, and with his new girlfriend, has much less time than he used to and has been increasingly hard to get a hold of.  My oldest friend Tiffany is in Asheville, which, yes, is only 2.5 hrs away, but she and I both travel a lot which makes getting together somewhat challenging.  However, I will be going up there later in the month to help her pick out a wedding venue!  She's getting married - probably spring of 2013 - and I'm going to be the Maid of Honor.  I'm so, so excited and happy for her! :)

So, in conclusion, a global world is great for traveling and meeting amazing people, but it kind of sucks as far as having people you know and love nearby.   People are just constantly on the move, which is difficult for close relationships.