C4L Thank You

On Sunday, 7 October 2012 I biked 30 miles for the 2nd Annual Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Cycle for Life Ride. It was very rewarding to have raised funds towards curing Cystic Fibrosis and to have taken part in the fun ride. (Click here to view my original post for this ride and the fund-raising.)

First of all, a huge THANK YOU to all who donated to the cause. Together we raised $53,000! Your support is truly appreciated, and goes towards ending Cystic Fibrosis. = ) Thank you.

Looking back, it was really one of the best events I've ever participated in: the weather couldn't have been more perfect, the ride was administered with efficiency and friendliness, I was one of the first females to finish (second, I believe), I got to ride with folks from Orange Cycle (my most favorite bike shop ever) at two different points, and I received a massage and Tijuana Flats taco afterwards! The only downer of the day was that my bike computer's sensor wasn't working. Good thing I captured the ride with Strava!

 

Here I am before the start of the ride. Look at that pretty sun shining through!

                           

My favorite aspects of the ride:

(1) Riding in a pack. This was my first event where it was strictly cycling. It was a lot of fun to ride in a pack and draft and get used to biking in close proximity to other bikers.

(2) Drafting and pulling with a girl from Orange Cycle. Towards the end of the ride I caught up to a friendly girl from Orange Cycle. I could tell that we were on the same level of effort, so I asked if I could hop on her wheel (draft). She was cool with that, so I recovered from the exertion of catching up to her. Shortly after that I offered to pull; by then we were closing in on the finish. We pushed hard and it was a great pull. We finished the race together, and I think we were the first females to finish. Here is a picture of me and Orange Cycle Girl (sorry that she's in my shadow...):

                           

Here is a shot of me enjoying some Gatorade on my second pass by the fuel station (approximately 20 miles into the ride). Volunteers from a nearby church donated baked goods, energy snacks, and drinks and manned this station. They were all cheering us on and very nice. = )

For more fun photos from the ride, click here to view the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Cycle for Life's Facebook photo album.

Cycle for Life

I'd heard of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) before, but, until recently, I didn't know a thing about it. After doing some research I've learned that CF is a life-threatening genetic disease. It affects the respiratory and digestive systems of 30,000 children and adults in the US. The disease occurs when a child receives the CF gene from both parents. What is scary is that more than 10 million in the US are unaware, symptom-less hosts of the CF gene. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) is important because nearly every approved CF drug that is available today was made possible by the CFF.

On Sunday, 7 October 2012 I will ride my bike 30 miles for the CFF. The event is called Cycle for Life, and, taking place in Lake Mary, FL, it is sponsored by Aptalis. I'm happy to participate in Cycle for Life to benefit those battling CF.

A responsibility of my participation is raising funds to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. My goal is to raise $150. If you are interested in supporting this cause, please visit my donation page and click the "Click to Donate" button. Thank you. = ) Know that your donation is much appreciated and will go on to help better the lives of those affected by Cystic Fibrosis.

If you are interested in participating in the ride, visit the registration page, and be sure to let me know so we can meet up on the ride!

Paws in the Park 2011

Yesterday I walked around Lake Eola for the Paws in the Park 2011, a Central Florida SPCA fundraiser for which I raised $155. Thank you to all who donated funds to help the local pets and shelters! Heidi and I had a blast at the walk, and Heidi had WAY too many Milk Bones as we passed by all of the vendor booths. Favorite item collected: a clip/1 cup scoop thing for Heidi's dog food bag to keep the food fresh; now I can use my 1 cup scoop for baking purposes again!

Heidi and I taking a photo mid-way through the walk around the lake. Isn't she cute in her cheerleader outfit?! Everyone LOVED it! Go Purdue!

Here is Heidi sitting pretty after the walk:

And my new favorite photo with my girl:

17th Annual Paws in the Park

The 17th Annual Paws in the Park walk is on Saturday, 12 February 2011 at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, Florida. Last year Heidi and I raised $70 more than my original goal! This year my goal is $100, and I’m hoping to surpass it, too!

Above is a photo the Mutts on a Mission Pack Leader, Kurt Bouwman, sent me recently – it’s a photo of me and Heidi back in February of this year at the 16th Annual Paws in the Park walk. = ) She was so teeny and fluffy! If you want to read about last year’s event and see photos, check out this blog post.

I hope you consider making a donation to make a difference in the lives of thousands of animals by sponsoring or participating in the SPCA of Central Florida's Annual "Paws In The Park.” If you can’t give, but know someone who can, please pass this on to them - it can’t hurt to ask!

To Sponsor My Fundraising:

1. Please visit my Personal Fundraising Page and consider helping me by making a secure online donation now by clicking here
2. Click "Sponsor Me"
3. Continue with donation
4. Return to my sponsor page
5. Leave a message on my fundraising wall = )
6. When you make an online donation, I will be notified by email of your support and you will automatically receive an e-tax receipt from the SPCA of Central Florida.

To Participate with My Pack in Fundraising and the Walk:

1. Navigate to this website
2. Click "Sign Up"
3. Accept the waiver
4. Join as a pack member
5. Search for the pack name "Mutts on a Mission"
6. Select "Mutts on a Mission" team name
7. Click "Join this Team"
8. Continue with registration

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thank you for your support!

Pay It Forward Day

Today is Pay It Forward Day. If you're unfamiliar with the phrase, you should check out the movie entitled "Pay It Forward." Excellent movie; even better concept.

Today is meant to spark inspiration in people to do something nice for three people. The idea is that they would, in response to your kindness, "pay it forward" to three other people. And so on!

Today I did these three nice things for people:

1. I sent a colleague, Bill McNamee, a thank you note through a system at work that allows me to notify his manager that I sent the note. The thank you note was to thank and recognize Bill for the tremendous help he's provided me in becoming accustomed to a system we use at work called Unity.

2. Bought an ice skating package for a friend (includes entry, skate rental, popcorn and a pop).

3. Chipped a few dollars for the next guy at Jimmy John's.

Please Help Keep Fleet People's Dog Park!

I've just learned that the City of Winter Park wants to do away with one of the nation's BEST dog parks, Fleet People's Dog Park. I know Heidi LOVES this dog park, especially with the lake and all the space to run around. Please support the effort of keeping the dog park by completing the survey, linked below. Thank you so much for you help!

--------------------------

In order to present relevant data to the City of Winter Park and to let them know that the Fleet Peeples Park is important to the residents of Winter Park and also to the residents of the neighboring cities and towns, please fill out this brief survey below.

The results will be viewed by concerned civic groups and will be presented to the Parks Board Commissioners of the City of Winter Park.

Please copy and paste the link to this survey into an email and PLEASE send it to anyone you know who comes to the park. Our success will be measured in numbers, so please ask as many people as you know to fill out this survey.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=cGc4ei1LMlZIdno5bkdzNnVwQ1JwZFE6MA

The Last Lecture

My favorite class in college was Change Management. It's a pretty unappealing class title given that most everyone fears change and management sounds mundane. The professor made all the difference. Why? He cared. I think he realized that people needed to be taught how to cope with change, and so teaching this class was his way of making a difference in the world, one Purdue student at a time. He certainly made a difference in my life. (By the way, his name is Al Crispo. Here is his Purdue faculty biography.)

Another professor who has changed the lives of many on a much larger scale was Randy Pausch. I first hear of Randy in my Change Management class. My professor gave us a "movie day," and we were drawn in to Randy's story. Basically Randy lived a pretty great life even through finding out he had terminal cancer. He found a way to tell his story, his life lessons, his wisdom in the face of death to colleagues, students current and past, and even his three young children through his Last Lecture at Carnegie Mellon. I'm not going to try to cover all that he does in the video, but I urge you to take the time to watch it sometime. It will inspire you to shoot for the moon; even if you miss you will land among the stars.

Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams by Randy Pausch

A while after seeing Randy's video I learned that he had made the lecture into book format. I am reading the book now, and it is excellent. It is a handbook for success and happiness, really, two things which make for a pretty nice life.

I am not going to do a book review past this entry as I've already covered what I would like to cover on this lecture and book. Except that I have great admiration for Randy: he was able to take the worst possible news (you're going to die soon) and better the world with that news; that is remarkable grace. Anyway, this book is one of those books I feel every person ought to read.

-Amanda

Researching the GSD

This week kicked off my extensive research into the German Shepherd Dog (GSD)! I have been acting as a sponge and soaking up heaps of information from books like "The Everything German Shepherd Book" and from friends who own dogs. I grew up with dogs, and that helps prepare one, but I am certain that growing up with a dog and owning a dog are two very different things. Now it won't be my parents caring for the dog, but me, etc. But it'll be worth every moment of owning a sweet little German Shepherd pup like one of these:



Which I know will eventually get quite large and look gorgeous like this one:



Why a GSD? Many reasons! A few of the top reasons (not necessarily in order):

1. companionship (I live alone with my cat who, while wonderful, doesn't provide the companionship I could have with a dog).

2. man's best friend (I've always wanted a dog of my own, and now I'm finally able to provide a healthy environment for one; I look forward to working with the pup, training it and taking it to obedience classes!)

3. protection (Living alone in a big city can be scary sometimes, especially at night. While I live in a safe area and a nice apartment complex, one can never be too sure; a dog, especially a GSD, would provide protection.)

4. running buddy (After the pup is a year old I can begin taking it on runs with me!)

I have a lot to prepare for in getting a puppy. Mentally I'm pretty much there. The biggest hurdle was realizing and coming to terms with the fact that during puppyhood I'll have to sacrifice my lunch hour daily to come home to care for the pup. I've realized that this will be very worthwhile in the end, though. In fact, I'm kind of excited about coming home midday through the work week; it'll make for a nice lift in my day, seeing the pup.

I also know it will be expensive to not only acquire but also to own the pet. I'm budgeting $1000 in expenses for the first year, not including the price of the puppy, which I'm not sure about as I've not yet began contacting potential breeders. I'm hoping everything will fall into place (financially and time-wise with the breeder) such that I'll have a puppy by late Summer 2010 or early Fall 2010.

I'm very interested in bringing a GSD into a home where there is already a cat (as in my situation). I know GSDs are have strong herding tendencies, but I also know that they are highly trainable. My plan is to teach the pup early on that Ashes is not to be herded into a corner, etc. Also, while it's a pup, I'll be keeping a constant eye, so I can definitely watch, monitor and control how things develop between the pup and Ashes. I'm still reading up on what experts have to say about GSDs and a cat(s) mixing in the home.

If you have any tips on owning a dog in general or owning a German Shepherd specifically, please send them my way! I look forward to hearing your advice!

Amanda

PS - I want a female!

14 February Cheat Sheet

Have you noticed that we're less than a month away from Valentine's Day 2010? Whether you're into this celebration or not, if you're interested in getting a little something for your significant other, check out this cheat sheet I put together for you: five items for women, five for men.

Wait a minute - aren't I single? Why am I putting a Valentine's Day cheat sheet together for those who can actually enjoy the special date? Well, folks. I just love browsing Etsy.com THAT much. Plus I like making lists. And blogging. = )

Just click on the image to be linked to the item's Etsy shop where you can make a swift purchase for your loved one. (All images are from the product's respective Etsy shop.)

F I V E     I D E A S     F O R     W O M E N

It's chilly this time of year. Give her something to keep her hands and arms warm when you're away. These fingerless arm warmers are feminine, super warm and will match everything she wears. (From Zarina2009's Etsy shop.)



What a clever way to say that you'll always be there to protect her from the rain? If she likes simple, silver jewelry, she'll love this umbrella charmed necklace. (From michellechangjewelry's Etsy shop.)



She has friends all over the place and is always talking about how she wishes they could be closer. Nudge her towards the old fashioned way of communication with this darling French vintage note card set. You might get brownie points for getting her some stamps, too. (From foundaroundb4's Etsy shop.)



She loves her coffee. Help her express herself and accessorize her favorite coffee mug with this gorgeous cozy. (From waysideviolet's Etsy shop.)



Here's a romantic heart-shaped locket for you to present to your beautiful lady. It is vintage, old brass, and has a lovely key charm. Place a photo of each of you in the locket, or maybe a love note folded up teeny tiny-like. She'll treasure this necklace. (From BeadCoutureBySteph's Etsy shop.)



F I V E     I D E A S     F O R     M E N

How long will he carry around that old, tattered wallet of his? If he's not super attached and just hasn't replaced the silly thing, consider this stylish and practical wallet. Houndstooth is making a comeback for men, too. (From sewlutionsbyamo's Etsy shop.)



I've been seeing a growing trend for anatomically correct hearts. Here's a tee that will let him express his love in a very technical, yet subtle, manner. (From darkcycleclothing's Etsy shop.)



Check out this sexy, masculine neck warmer! (From minggusandmoob's Etsy shop.)



What computer savvy guy wouldn't love these CTRL ALT DEL pillows? (From diffractionfiber's Etsy shop.)



You know he's always talking about how he has too much change rattling around in his pockets. Give him somewhere to put all those coins with this vintage post office box coin bank. (From Boxnmor's Etsy shop.)



And that's all I've got folks! Happy [early] Valentine's Day!

Amanda

2009 Running in Review

In 2009 I...
-ran 17 more runs than I did in 2008.
-logged 3:54:04 more hours of running than I did in 2008.
-ran 120.72 more miles than I did in 2008.
-ran at a pace (minutes/mile) that was 3'48" minutes faster than I did in 2008.
-burned 14507 more calories while running than I did in 2008.

All in all I'm quite happy with my running in 2009. Clearly I'm most active from March to May, which makes sense because at that time I'm heavily training for the Indianapolis 500 Mini Marathon.

I feel in debt to the awesome Nike+ kit as it has helped keep me on track, motivated and in my sneakers. So I thank you, Nike+ kit! I also want to thank my parents, Mom especially, as they have been a great source of inspiration and the buddy system (and some rivalry, hehe) in the last year. I'm so happy that we've started a tradition of running the Indy Mini together! Lastly, thank you to Wendy and the Orlando Women Runners; this group was so motivational and friendly. It was very nice to run with them, espeically after having relocated and not knowing anyone in the area at first, let alone other runners. So thank you, fellow runners, and happy running in 2010!

Amanda

(Wednesday, 6 January 2010)

:: BEGIN EDIT - Saturday, 9 January 2010::

I just logged into my Nike+ account and there was a link to see my 2009 Stats. I thought I already posted (above) about those, but I clicked anyway. Turns out there are more stats to share. = )



Pretty cool!

::END EDIT::

Christmas Letter 2009

Merry Christmas!

2009 was an adventurous year for me! Looking back I can see how much I’ve grown and how wonderful the last twelve months have been:

In January, as a sort of graduation gift to myself, I bought a 2009 Honda Fit Sport. When I moved to Orlando, Florida that little car did me well. Even better than the fuel efficiency was the company I had during the trip. My family helped move me into my lovely apartment, which has become home for me and my cat, Ashes; being so far from Indiana isn’t quite so bad with that fur ball around to keep me company.

I moved to Orlando for my new job with Lockheed Martin. I am a systems engineer on the Test Team for the Assured Identity program. Our job is to upgrade the current Lockheed Martin employee badge system to smart cards. My job is to find and report defects in the new system as it’s being developed. Until recently I was on the Test Team full-time. Just last week I began a transition to take on a second role part-time. For this new role I gather and analyze metrics and represent the business area. I’m being challenged, and I really enjoy my job!

Indeed, the weather and nearby beaches are nice, but Orlando has given me so much more for which I am thankful! I’ve made several friends and found a fantastic church. I played on a Lockheed Martin sand volleyball team, and I am catcher for a Lockheed Martin softball team. Also, I joined a gym, a camera club, two running clubs and I even founded a book club!

I love to read and wanted to meet other readers around town, but no existing book clubs I found were working out, so I just started my own: The East Orlando Twenty-Something Book Club. Through the book club I’ve met other bookworms, and we have heaps of fun! We’re a pretty social bunch: trips to Busch Gardens, the beach, book sales, movie nights, bowling, and, of course, the actual book discussions. We read one book a month, but, in addition to that, I usually read another one or two books. The next book on my list is Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Here’s the latest on the family: Mom always keeps busy whether she’s gardening, quilting or running. She’s been running up such a storm that, believe it or not, she currently holds the Bennett Family Half-Marathon Record Time! Dad is continually studying his hobbies: photography and weaponry. His Navy background gives him a leg-up on the competition at the shooting range. Chucky has buzzed his hair and is aiming to become a Navy SEAL! With his wrestling history he will go far in that endeavor! Speaking of wrestling, Sam just signed with Northern Illinois University for a wrestling scholarship! I can’t wait to see him wrestle under the lights at State!

I sure do miss my family and friends who are far away, but, lucky for me, I’ve had many visits with them! Here are a few of the year’s highlights: Mom’s visit during Spring Break, running the Indianapolis 500 Mini Half-Marathon with Mom and Dad, Kristin & Aric’s wedding in Iowa and their visit for the Fourth of July, Mom’s summer visit, hanging out with my fellow Boilermakers and my Aunt Joan in nearby Melbourne, Sam’s fall visit, turning 23, Lana & Geof’s wedding, enjoying the Colts’ season with friends, Purdue’s Homecoming and reunion with college friends, all sorts of Halloween fun, and a surprise visit home for Thanksgiving!

That brings us to Christmastime! “And so I’m offering this simple phrase, to kids from one to ninety-two, although it’s been said many times, many ways, a very Merry Christmas to you!”

Amanda Bennett

The Bubba Roll

Just a quick blurb about the remainder of Sam's visit back in August (for a quick link to the first part, click here).

After a great weekend at the beach and Busch Gardens we settled into a work-week sort of routine. I, of course, went to work as I normally do, while Sam, of course, managed to mix up his days and nights by staying up to ungodly hours of the night (well, morning, really) playing his beloved X-Box. I'm really happy I had an HDTV for him on which he could play his video games.

Through the week we hit the gym a couple times. Sam seemed to like my gym, but he wasn't as blown away as Mom was, haha. Anyway, he was glad to get a couple workouts into his visit. Aside from the gym we saw a movie: The Collector, which neither of us were impressed with. Sam was a little mislead by the preview, apparently. The movie was by the same director as the Saw movies, just to give you an idea of what the film entailed. If it had attended to a small bit of the plot towards the end it would have at least been a decent movie, despite the blood, guts and gore. Oh, well.

The other big event during the week was my taking Sam out for sushi for the first time. I'm happy to report that I've converted yet another person to enjoy sushi. One of my colleagues, Jesse Henderson III, was in town from Maryland, and whenever Jesse visits, a group of us go to Wine Down Wednesdays at Urban Flats, then we have sushi at Fuji Sushi. Sam and I skipped Wine Down and went straight for the sushi. Given that we were with Jesse, it was a fun time; always a riot! Sam and Jesse almost instantly clicked and had a couple moments that I'll chuck under "bonding," haha. Sam's favorite roll was The Bubba Roll; he didn't care at all for my spicy tuna roll, haha. Anyway, the food was delicious and we had a good night.


myself, Sam, Jesse, et. al. at Fuji Sushi


I really enjoyed Sam's company for the week that he visited. I'm so glad we've reached that point in our relationship where we can start to relate and be friends as well as siblings. (The four year age gap made that difficult until recently.) Thanks for a fun visit, Sam! Love you!

Amanda

The Positive Campaign

EDIT

Just came across this: The Compliment Guys in The American Profile

Keepin' it positive,

Amanda

ORIGINAL POST (30 August 2009):

One day last fall I was on the phone with Sallie Mae, discussing important loan details, when all of a sudden I was bombarded with a compliment. Confounded, I looked towards the voice to see a complete stranger with a sign that read "free compliments." I managed to spit out a thank you, because I was running late for my next lecture and wanted to wrap up the phone call, and was on my way. Later that day I got to thinking about what had happened, and what a wonderful stand the two Compliment Guys were taking on being positive in this day and age.

Since then these two Purdue guys, now known world-wide as The Compliment Guys, have made leaps and bounds for what I've began calling The Positive Campaign. Here they are with their trusty sign:


Purdue's The Compliment Guys

Here are a few links to articles featuring the Delighted Duo:

Chicago Tribune Article

Lafayette Online Article

And here's the link to their website: Brightside Tour


Also making waves in the Positive Campaign is Caitlin. She's the one behind Operation Beautiful, an anonymous Post-It war being waged against women who berate themselves with fat talk.


Operation Beautiful


I just wanted to post a bit about some really great people who are making a difference for the better.

Here's to the good in the world,

Amanda

The First Book Club Meetup

My book club has been the best thing that's happened to me since I've been living in Orlando. I wish I had thought of starting the club up back in February!

Needless to say the first Meetup was a huge success! We had 10 people show up to discuss Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451:


Fahrenheit 451

No one was too familiar with how to run a book club meeting, but everyone was really supportive of my role as the founder of the Meetup group. People voiced their opinions courteously, and everyone was very agreeable. The discussion itself was fantastic! I can't recall a time where I was so happy while talking about a book! It's nice to meet friends who also like to talk about books, haha! We posed questions to the group, soaked in other people's perspectives, and got to know one another a little, too. Afterwards some of us headed over to Barnes & Noble and chit chatted a bit.

The next book wasn't determined right away. Everyone present wrote down 2 books they'd like the group to read, then 3 cards were drawn from a hat. Of those 6 books we took a vote, and Nina's suggested Stranger in a Strange Land came out on top. I picked up the book late last week and am excited to read it!

We're already talking about meeting on Sundays for brunch and the farmer's market, a trip to Busch Gardens, a visit to Melbourne for a beach and surf day, etc.! It's fabulous to have met such a wonderful group of young people!

In a few weeks' time I'll be hosting a movie night to watch the 60s film of Fahrenheit 451. Also, there's an outing to see The Time Traveler's Wife at the cinema. And, of course, the book club meeting for September's book.

Oh, this all makes me so happy!

Amanda

Mom's Summer Visit

As you can see, I'm very behind in my blogging as of late. I'm catching up, so forgive the lack of stories, detail, etc. Hopefully that's okay because you're getting a straight feed of photos and captions - I think that's what folks like to see most. = )


Mom making us a delicious breakfast



At Cocoa Beach, PRE-thunderstorm, haha; here Mom is just before she transformed into the Sand Monster



Mom helped me give Raven a bath



Mom & I at The Lodge, downtown, for the 80s Bar Crawl; we had a rickshaw ride and met Yum Yum, haha!



Mom enjoying the porch for a little patio picnic we had one afternoon



Lounging around; she helped me furnish my apartment, yet again, with some throw pillows



Mom & I at Paradise Beach; it was a PERFECT beach day; we had so much fun in the waves!



Mom, Aunt Joan and I with a gorgeous, fire-y orange sunset after a lovely home-cooked meal in Melbourne



During Mom's visit Sam was in Fargo, ND for a wrestling tournament. Dad snapped this amazing photo of Sam perfectly executing a suplex!


-Amanda

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

This is Mr. Bill Bryson:


Bill Bryson


I "met" him through a dear friend of mine, Kristin Folden. She mentioned his US travel book, A Walk in the Woods oh, about a year ago, and it's been on my list of books to read ever since (it's a long list, I tell you). At her and Aric's wedding she presented me with another Bryson book: In a Sunburned Country.


In a Sunburned Country

Considering that I'd been to Australia, a whopping year ago - so hard to believe that fact - I felt it appropriate to escalate the priority of reading In A Sunburned Country. So I did. And I was quite impressed. Bryson is one of the most humorous and friendly writers I've had the pleasure of reading. His stories and perspectives are interesting, and he tells stories splendidly.

I was really excited to read the book because I knew it would be like a memory-trip back to the grand world Down Under, and it was quite so. I loved reading every chapter and hearing about the places I'd visited and especially the places I'd been unable to visit. I learned a lot from Bill, too, and enjoyed recollecting my own personal travels in Australia.

I enjoyed reading all of Bryson's statistics. From animals to population to land mass to various comparisons to plants, Bryson put Australia into perspective with numbers. He painted such an accurate picture of the folks in Australia, too: so friendly, willing and kind to even strangers, their attitudes towards different things, even their fellow citizens who lived in different states. I was surprised to learn that Queenslanders were regarded as the quirky ones, haha.

I loved his stories from boogie boarding to being chased by dogs to the different folks he met along his journeys to all the parks and various sights he saw.

It was indeed a fantastic book for me to read, having spent 6 wonderful months in the lovely country. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in Australia, especially interested in visiting Down Under.

Cheers!

Amanda

He Doesn't Like Tea

Sam's visit so far has been quite a good time! It's been lovely having him as a guest in my home and city and state. = )

He got in Thursday evening, and professed that he was starving and craving some Chinese food. We stumbled upon a tasty buffet that proved to be perfectly satiating. We got back to my apartment, I gave him the grand tour, he exclaimed how he loved it. It was a fun surprise for him that I had recently invested in an HDTV that could be used for his Xbox gaming antics. The only thing was Ashes' reaction to Sam, haha. The cat went into hiding immediately and would hiss at Sam when we tried to get Ashes out from under the beds. I'd never seen my beloved feline act in such a way, but whatever behavior that was seems to have gone. It was bizarre, I tell you, but all is well now between the two males. (Silly males...)

After Sam got settled into his quarters we went to see The Hangover. Absolutely hilarious! I loved Allen the best, haha! We were laughing throughout the entire film. Loved it. Sam and I were quoting it the rest of the night!

Friday I went to work and had a really dull time at the dentist in the afternoon. Sam slept until 1 or 2 and gamed the rest of the evening. That evening I decided I would purchase a Blu Ray DVD player to take full advantage of my HDTV. Naturally I had to buy my first Blu Ray DVD: Batman Begins. So Sam got to partake in the breaking in of my latest piece of technology and see an awesome movie (how he hadn't seen the entire movie before, I do not know). We stayed up until 3 AM, haha.

Saturday morning we hit Paradise Beach. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, and the waves were absolutely enormous! I'd never seen them so huge. We played in them for a good while before we tuckered out and retired to layout and relax. Neither of us were burnt; quite happy about that.



Sam & I at Paradise Beach, Melbourne




yours, truly


After the beach we stopped by our Aunt Joan's house so I could work on her computer (dead hard drive). While there I shared Aunt Joan's Ice Cream Sandwiches treat with Sam (it would have been wrong of me not to). Upon returning to Orlando we had some Taco Bell that we had at my apartment complex's poolside. Turns out some of my friends from work who recently moved into my complex were hanging out at the pool. Sam and I enjoyed their company, and I proved myself in a little freestyle race, hehe. I tried to warn Jeremy that I was a bit experience in the great sport of swimming. = P Afterwards Sam and I hung out at the apartment and I got some good reading in for my first book club Meetup. I'm about half-way through Fahrenheit 451 now. I really like it, but more on that later.

Today the two of us spent our day at Busch Gardens, Tampa. Boy, was it fun! It had been a few years since I'd been to a theme park, and who better to spend a roller coaster day with than my baby brother!



Sam & I on the tram to the entrance of Busch Gardens, Tampa


I think SheiKra was our favorite; we rode it twice we liked it so much! It's a short ride, but totally awesome because of the straight-down drops!



The Big Drop on SheiKra


Busch Gardens is a great park because there is more than just roller coasters and miscellaneous rides (the Flight of the Phoenix was my second favorite, by the way - think Kings' Island's Viking Ship but one that goes all the way upside down and in full circle!). Anyway, Busch Gardens is also a zoo! I was like a little kid when we passed by the safari animals on the train ride! Elephants, rhinos, ostrich, giraffe (my favorite this time - usually it's tigers/lions but we only saw one tiger), zebra, an ant eater, and, of course, crocs and gators! I really liked the flamingos, too!



me with the flamingos


Everywhere you looked there were topiaries! I liked the tiger and the lion the best.




Me with the terrifying tiger topiary




Sam & I at the end of the day, next to the majestic lion topiary


Amanda

PS - in case you're wondering what the title of this entry has to do with anything, Sam and I had a candid conversation where he stated how he didn't like any type of tea. The way in which he stated it was very funny because it was exactly like Bubba explaining all the types of shrimp meals his momma could cook up. = ) Tea has become a bit of a running joke for me and Sam.

Folden Visit

Over the Fourth of July weekend some very dear friends of mine stopped in for a lovely visit. It was such a treat to have Kristin & Aric as guests for a few days. It was ungodly hot on the Fourth of July, but we strolled around Lake Eola and took in some of the festivities (including fishy caramel popcorn - ugh, haha!), and then I showed them my favorite place in Orlando: The Drunken Monkey, a fantastic coffee house that I frequent often. It was there that I taught Aric how to play Backgammon. We also "had" to bum around our beloved Waterford Lakes Town Center Barnes & Noble!

By the way, I've never seen Ashes take to people so well as he took to Kristin & Aric. They loved him and he sure did enjoy their company. I loved watching the three of them "race" to Ashes' "room," haha! Too funny!

The next day the Foldens (awe, it sounds so pleasant, doesn't it? The Foldens...) joined me at church. Afterwards they helped me tackle the acquisition of a TV. Aric was very manly and brought it up three flights of stairs to my apartment; the stand, too, which was considerably heavier than the TV. While Kristin and I assembled things, Aric made Folden Chili (sans corn, hehe), and it was delicious! He made lots so that I'd have some to eat through my coming work week. That evening we watched Sunshine on my brand new HDTV and I taught Kristin to play Backgammon (she came around to it) while we did Queen Helene Mint Julep facial masks.

Needless to say, it was a wonderful weekend. = )


Kristin & I



Mr. & Mrs. Folden


Amanda