Maps Are Cool

I have suddenly become overtaken with an unexplainable interest in maps, specifically maps that have a creative spin to them. I’m not sure what triggered this strange behavior (this is how my zany mind operates), but I now find myself scouring the internet for unusual interpretations of maps. So I’ll share, and maybe you’ll develop an insatiable desire for more maps in your life too.

We’ll start with a typographic map of the United States:

Then there’s this one, which presents each state as the title of a famous movie that took place there:

And now one that depicts each state by its license plate:

Moving along to a wider scope, we have this gorgeous watercolor illustration of the world:

A typographical layout:

And lastly, this incredible portrayal of the leading economic and social themes in each area.

Now try and tell me that wasn’t fun.

Twitter Road Race

This Saturday, January 21, 2012, marks the first ever Twitter Road Race, and you should join in on the movement!

My awesome friend alerted me to this universal social media inspired race, and I just had to pass it along. It takes place anywhere in the world – on the treadmill at your gym, in your neighborhood, at the local park, during the 5k race you are already signed up to run (I fall into this category) - the venue is totally up to you. All you have to do is register here, run the 3.1 miles, then report back with your finishing time Saturday evening. Nothing to it. At this point, there are over 700 runners participating, and they represent countries far and wide across the globe.

Get in on the action! And don’t forget to print off your official race bib!

For more information, visit the founder’s website and dig around for a bit.

What I’m Loving Wednesday

I love that I have finally updated the Book Lover portion of my blog. It’s been months since I added the last book I read, and, to be honest, I’m not sure that they all made the list, but that’s an oversight I’m willing to live with. It’s a new year, and I’ll try to be better about recording my book life going forward. What’s important is that The Hunger Games trilogy made the cut, because those books are incredible. The kind you absolutely can’t put down, even if it means not getting adequate sleep before work the next day or risking injury because you are walking down the stairs with your nose in a book. That kind of good. If you haven’t already, read these before the movie comes out in March!

I am loving this picture. I randomly stumbled upon it on the web and was instantly drawn to the dreamy, ethereal quality.  It makes me want to be there, laying in a field of poppies under the hazy glow of the sun, at this very moment.

I love drinking hot tea. The warmth of the ceramic against my perpetually cold hands, that first sip where you can literally feel the heated liquid moving down your throat and radiating through your body. The spice, the aroma, the oversized mug, the comfort. My boss’s wife gave me the red mug below for Christmas along with some delicious Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice black tea, and the combo is a truly delightful way to begin my day.

And lastly, I’m loving these words, because they are true, and because they make all the difference in the world. They are where my identity comes from, where my confidence is found, the source of my hope, and the reason my future is secure.

The Unforeseen Challenges of Blogging

Blogging is many things to me. It is a live journal, a way to sort out my thoughts, a creative outlet, an opportunity to share, and a challenge. Challenging for several reasons, some of them quite obvious, some lurking just below the surface.

I have many random ideas floating around in this jumbled, sporadic, ever-churning brain of mine. I would say at least 90% of them don’t make it to print. Some are better left tucked away in the caverns of my mind, but some would make great blog posts. Of course, that requires A) that I remember the train of thought long enough to document it, else it’ll easily get swallowed by some equally riveting idea swimming around up there, and then B) that I take the time to pamper it into a finished product. Once the idea is captured, I then have to begin fleshing it out. Kneading the dough, if you will. Examining it from different angles, deciding where I want to take it. What do I want my readers to leave with? How do I want them to feel? Once I’ve churned out a basic draft, I reread ad nauseum, adding a bit here, nipping a bit there, until I’ve fashioned something worthy of being taken public (worthy being a very subjective term here). Only after deliberate labor do you get the finely tuned finished post I’ve chosen to share with the world

But that’s only half of it, and frankly, that’s the easy part. I love the writing process, so that part comes naturally. Which is why I relate so well to Ernest Hemingway’s statement:

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

The other thing you have to worry about is content. And audience. And whether that content will offend said audience. My life doesn’t involve just me, and praise Jesus for that, because that would be a painfully lonely existence. There are stories worth telling, but I’m not the only character; there are other personalities to protect. Maybe they don’t want their story told. Or maybe somebody doesn’t appreciate my opinion on a particular topic. Or, on the rare occasion, I’ve had a reader disgruntled with what I’ve written even if it has nothing to do with them. Where do you draw the line? How much do you hold back at the risk of salvaging others feelings, versus how much do you willingly share in an act of personal vulnerability? There’s no solid answer, and therein lies the complication of it all.

And don’t even get me started on the time factor, because we all know I struggle in that department.

And then there’s this handy piece of guidance, which reminds me not to take any of it too seriously, anyway:

The Haze Has Lifted

It’s that time again, ladies and gents.

Time to start fresh and new, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in anticipation of all the future holds.

Or so they say.

Not me, not this time around. I kicked off the new year with an uncharacteristicly low level of energy. I didn’t hit the ground running. Quite the opposite in fact. I spent my first few days of 2012 plastered to the couch. Sure I finished a book and several movies, but that is not my definition of productivity. At first I thought I was just being lazy, but then I realized I was physically sick. Guess that makes my inactivity a little less excusable, but it’s still hard for me to digest. First day back to work, my boss noticed my malaise and generously sent me home to rest. I sipped some chicken noodle soup and a mug of Emergen-C, and then I was out. I slept approximately 13 hours before coming back to work the next morning, and it made a world of a difference. The haze has lifted, and I’m starting to feel like myself again. Good thing, because I missed me.  

I’m a couple days late to 2012, but I’m here! Let’s do this!

It Gets the Worst at Night

I was parked in my mom’s emerald-green minivan when he grabbed my face and pulled me in for a kiss.

Urgent. Unexpected. Our first kiss. Our only kiss.

Maybe I would have reacted differently had I known what was to come.

I was 16, awkward as ever. He loved me fully, and he made sure I knew it. After he was gone, years later, I regretted pushing him away, making him stop. Not because I want to kiss him romantically, but because I want to remember him. To savor his presence. He was my best friend. I loved him deeply, just not like that.

Looking back, it makes perfect sense. It was his first time to kiss a girl and he wanted it to be me, so he made it happen. He was always like that. Determined, stubborn, and persistent. He leaned his head through the open window and went straight for my lips. I cut it off before it had barely even begun, nervously fumbling over my words before I drove off in a hurry.

I didn’t change anything between us, fortunately. We carried on with our comfortable friendship with ease. We had a special connection that doesn’t come around all that often. It was sincere, authentic. He protected me ferociously, unabashedly proclaiming his feelings for me while respecting my boundaries at the same time.

I thought he would always be around. I guess you naturally have that mentality until you experience loss. But life doesn’t always unfold according to our plans. Rarely does it, in fact.

I miss him so much it hurts. I continuously fight feeling his absence, but tonight I openly weep. It has been nearly six years since he left. My heart is so heavy, it literally fastens me to the bed; I can barely lift my head to wipe away the tears.

His mom held me tight after the funeral and told me that I was one of three women he had ever loved. Tonight, it aches. Allowing myself to feel the pain is a nightmare, except I’m awake and it is real. It hurts. But I think I’m supposed to be here. I have to expose this burdened heart in order to heal.

Josh, not a day goes by that I don’t think of you. I’ll see someone who resembles you, or run by your house, or just pause for a moment to honor your memory. I love you truly, and I hope you knew that.

(A Happy New Year)

My dear acquaintance, it’s so good to know you
For strength of your hand
That is loving and giving
And a happy new year
With love overflowing
With joy in our hearts
For the blessed new year

Raise your glass and we’ll have a cheer
For us all who are gathered here
And a happy new year to all that is living
To all that is gentle, kind, and forgiving
Raise your glass and we’ll have a cheer
My dear acquaintance, a happy new year

All of those who are hither and yonder
With love in our hearts
We grow fonder and fonder
Hail to those who we hold so dear
And hail to those who are gathered here

And a happy new year to all that is living
To all that is gentle, young, and forgiving
Raise your glass and we’ll have a cheer
My dear acquaintance, a happy new year
Happy new year

 

Regina Spektor

December Taught Me

1. There is such a thing as freezing fog.
2. You can switch your Facebook language to upside down. Because that’s practical.
3. Ruths Chris petit filet cooked rare is exquisite; it’s like velvet. And the cheesecake dessert. Get in my belly.
4. There’s something about cleaning out my purse that instantly makes me feel more organized.
5. Milk chocolate just doesn’t do it for me anymore. Dark is better.
6. The New Orleans Jazz Festival lineup is amazing.
7. My iron is low. Again. Feed me raisins.
8. The Hunger Games is phenomenal. Couldn’t put it down.
9. For the 2011 Festival events, Memphis in May generated an economic impact of $76,506,384 supporting 939 jobs. Good stuff.
10. Jax and I met 6 years ago today.

Sunrise Atop a Volcano

Despite what you may be expecting, this story starts with a sunset.

After a full day of Tiger basketball, surfing lessons, and lounging on a secluded beach, Jax and I paused for a sunset. Our toes buried in the warm sand, we prepared to watch nature’s drama unfold. We gazed peacefully on as the sun slipped away, daylight fading into night. The scene was fantastic – the bright fiery sphere sliding across the sky, rays bouncing off the clouds to create brilliant orange and yellow hues. Silhouettes of other islands in the distance dotted the horizon. We watched intently, silently, not wanting to miss a moment of the display.

That next morning at 3am, as if to complete the cycle, we journeyed to the other side of the island to meet the rising sun atop Haleakala Volcano. It is surprisingly cold at the top of the mountain, so we bundled up with jackets, gloves, and beach towels. We wound up the mountain, curving our way through the night. As we climbed the 10,023 feet in elevation, it was almost impossible to see anything but what was directly in front of our headlights. Sheer darkness. Our drive down after day break revealed that the winding road we were following takes you within inches of thousand foot drop offs without so much as a guard rail for protection. So that’s comforting.

We arrived at the top about 40 minutes before the sun was to rise and perched on a rock at the edge of the mountain to wait. It was cold, and we entertained ourselves with the stars. I was closer to the Big Dipper than I have ever been in my life, and that’s a pretty neat place to be.

As 6:03am neared, the sky began to lighten, called predawn. We were sitting on the edge of the volcano’s mouth, and the cloud cover inside transformed with color. It moved from an eerie dark haze to a milky ocean to a pillow of pastels. The sun began peering over the horizon sliver by sliver, and it was brilliant. It was bold and mesmerizing, and you couldn’t help but fix your eyes on it, to both stare and look away at the same time.

I had never really thought about it before, and we hadn’t planned on it happening this way, but witnessing the sun set one evening and rise the very next morning really has a feeling of rarity and completeness to it.

You should try it sometime.

 

Psalms 113:3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Wishing you all the merriest of Christmases! I hope your day is filled with loved ones, laughter, good cheer, and an honest acknowledgement of the One we are celebrating. May your hearts be blessed by the miracle of Christmas and the weight of its meaning, for He alone is worthy.

Amen and amen.

What I’m Loving Wednesday

I’ve been shirking my regular Wednesday post, leaving your lives empty and void of all the great things I’ve been enjoying over the past several weeks. And I feel really bad about it. Turns out leaving town for nine days and then returning just in time for the busiest month of the year does not bode well for those of us trying to squeeze in an extra few seconds for blogging. Today, amidst my lengthy to do list, I am carving out a sliver of time to share some of my latest goings-ons.

There’s so much to say, I don’t know where to begin.

I am loving that I have all but completed my Christmas shopping and wrapping for the year. I realize that it’s approaching crunch time and pretty much everybody has reached this point (or if they haven’t, they’d better get there soon), but I still relish in the personal accomplishment. It’s a true test of how much shopping, planning, and creating one can squeeze into a limited amount of lunch breaks, and it looks like I’ve passed the test.

I am loving the Memphis Tigers. Always have, always will, but there’s something about watching them from directly behind the bench in a small gym in Maui that made me feel that much closer to the team. We were so close to the action that I couldn’t help with empathize with the guys. Every facial expression, every footstep, every aggressive play took on more weight. It felt personal. We cheered for them by name, we made eye contact, and we became best friends. Ok, so maybe not that last part.

I am beginning to love my new iPhone 4, an early Christmas present from the parents. At first I was more frustrated with it than anything: How are you supposed to type on this tiny keypad? What’s my Apple ID? How do you make a simple phone call on this thing? What in the world is iChat? How do you close anything? But now, after several days of practice and exposure, I’m starting to get more comfortable with the device, and I’ve actually discovered a lot of nifty uses for it. It really is pretty amazing. And if you have any tips, suggestions, tutorials, or app suggestions, please feel free to send them my way.

I am loving scarves. I’ve always been attracted to them, I’ve just never really mastered the art of how to wear them. But those days are behind me, my friends. This year, I promised myself that I will not be miserably cold all winter long, as is normally the case, and that I would make good use of all that cozy winter wear I own. So far, it’s working out quite warm and toastily for me.

I love my coworkers. And their spouses. I really am blessed to be part of such a great team. We recently had our annual Christmas dinner at Ruth’s Chris, and I always leave feeling so warm and fuzzy (and stuffed). Not only is the meal mouth-wateringly amazing, but the friendly chatter around the table is a pleasant reminder of why my job rocks.

There’s more, so much more. But we’ll save that for next week.

Waterfalls and the Bamboo Forest

The day following my brutal 16-mile run, Jax and I decided to go hiking. Never mind the fact that my legs were so sore I could barely bend them, causing my attempts at walking to resemble that of an uncoordinated toddler with little muscle control. Alas, you can’t let things like this slow you down in Hawaii, where there is just too much fun to be had to let a little lactic acid get in the way.

We started the day with breakfast in a cute little hippie town called Paia, then hit the Hana Highway in all its tropical glory. The road twists and turns along the coastal rainforest and offers the most breathtaking views you’ve ever seen. Clusters of lush foliage and flowers frame the deep blue expanse of ocean below, and every bend reveals a gorgeous panorama. Since we had already spent several hours exploring the winding Road to Hana with Jax’s family earlier in the week, we didn’t stop for all of the sights along the way this time. (More on our initial excursion soon, though at the rate I’m going, said future date could easily extend to summer of next year. But stay tuned.)

We set our sites on the small town of Hana, about 55 miles away, and we didn’t detour until we arrived at our intended destination, Honokalani Black Sand Beach at Waianapanapa State Park. This dramatic beach is tucked away in a little alcove set among seaside cliffs and lava tubes, and the sand is actually small, smooth lava pebbles.

We walked along the ocean bluff above the beach and admired the waves violently crashing against the rocks, forcing gusts of ocean spray into the air. Then, we spent some time climbing around in the seaside caves.

Once we had our fill of black sand, we headed to Haleakala National Park for an afternoon of hiking. We ended up going about 4.5 miles roundtrip, and the various treasures we encountered along the way were just stunning. We climbed along the Pipiwai Trail, every now and then stopping at some scenic lookout, waterfall, or hidden pool. Eventually, we came to the mysterious Bamboo Forest, which is quite possibly my favorite forest ever in the world. I have never seen anything like it. For miles in every direction are thousands of dense bamboo stalks of yellow and green, towering over your head. Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she’s gone….

Sidetracked by The Beatles. It happens. Let’s carry on.

The bamboo is surprisingly tall, and the effect of the light filtering through the leaves creates a dreamlike setting. The forest is actually quite dim, and when the wind blows, the bamboo stalks knock together causing a hollow musical rustle to move throughout the expanse. At points, there is a raised boardwalk marking the path, and I felt very much like a character in a fairytale as we trotted along. It was fantastic, whimsical, and eerie all at the same time.

Eventually the Bamboo Forest faded and we found ourselves crawling across small streams on slippery rocks. Thanks to some nimble maneuvering, we made it to solid ground, and directly before us was the most splendid waterfall I have ever seen. And you know how much I like waterfalls. We were standing at the base of Waimoku Falls, which rose a spectacular 450 feet above us. The waterfall crashed down a sheer lava rock wall into a pool below, and we stood there in the spray, silent under the roaring water, necks craned, just appreciating the beauty of it all.

There had actually been a point during our hike where we considered turning back because daylight hours were dwindling and we didn’t want to make the treacherous drive back in the dark. We decided to forge ahead anyway, and at this moment, we agreed that it was utterly and totally worth it. It’s amazing to think that God created things like this for our pleasure, for us to enjoy, and as a reminder of His love for us. What a beautiful, indescribable gift to my soul.

Running up a Mountain in Maui

Let me tell you about this ridiculous 16-mile race I ran in Maui last week.

And when I say ridiculous, I’m talking no bathrooms, no cheering spectators, no water stations, and no water. Totally unsupported. No water?! Now that’s just mean.

Jax and I wake up at 4:30am on Thanksgiving morning, I scurry into my race gear and down a quick breakfast of peanut butter and toast, and we are out the door within 30 minutes. We drive the hour trek it takes to get to the race site, and then we spend the next 45 minutes circling two-lane roads crisscrossing the mountain in search of this mysterious locale. As 7:00am nears, it is becoming less and less likely that I will be running a Turkey Trot this year; I have pretty much accepted that I’m not going to arrive on time, and then, just in the nick of time, we stumble across Rice Park.

As we are standing at the starting line, which is really more of a starting area than a line per say, the race director describes the course as such: You’ll take a sharp right out of here onto Kula Highway. After roughly 8 miles, you’ll see five trees and turn right onto Haleakala Highway, where you will proceed to run 7 miles straight up a mountain. One hill. No relief. Just up. At the crest, you will enjoy a 2-mile downhill stretch, and you will want nothing more than for this race to be over. Follow Haleakala until it intersects with Kula, then loop around back to the park. Oh, and the course isn’t marked, so I hope you remembered that. Ready, set, GO. And just like that, before I have a chance to get out of my jacket, we’re off.

And I am terrified. Nobody said anything about a 7 mile uphill climb when I signed up for this thing! Perhaps I should have considered the terrain before committing to a race that includes a volcano in its topography.

My first 8 miles are excellent. Jax comes by and relieves me of my jacket, and I am running strong. I use the rolling hills to my advantage, lengthening my stride on the downhills and using the momentum to plow up the other side. I enjoy the beauty around me, and I thrive off the encouraging honks and yells from the passing cars. I smile and wave my way down the highway and thank God for the opportunity, the health, and the ability to be running a race in Hawaii. As directed, I turn at the five trees, and what looms before me nearly knocks me off my feet.

They weren’t kidding about that hill. I don’t stand a chance. I push my body forward but soon have to stop and walk. I am thirsty. As if on cue, my knight in shining armor drives up in his bright red jeep with water bottles in tow. I drink deeply, and I am beyond thankful. I didn’t realize this at the time, but Jax actually bought water for all the runners, and in between stopping to offer support to me, he drove around the mountain hydrating anyone in need. He was the MVP of the day, and there is absolutely no way we could have finished that race without him.

So, I’m intermittently running/walking up this hill, and it is brutal. It is so steep, I sometimes feel that I’m running in place. I run until my legs and lungs burn, then I walk for some relief. Even the walking is difficult. I can’t see anybody ahead of me or behind me as we spread out under the weight of this challenge. It is just me and this mountain, my heavy breathing, and the spectacular view. I climb 1,500 feet in elevation over these 7 miles, and it is a test of my emotional and physical endurance in a way I don’t think I have previously encountered, not even during the marathon. Jax drives by frequently to check on me, quench my thirst, encourage me, walk with me for stretches, and assure me I’m still on the right path and that I don’t have too much further to go.

Somehow, miraculously, I reach the top of this monster and notice the road begins curving in the other direction, and I fly down the remaining two miles. My feet hurt with every pound to the asphalt, but I can’t stop. If I do, I don’t think I’ll have the strength to resume; I’ll probably just lay on the side of the road and wait for somebody to come find me. So I run and run and run with all my might, and I’m greeted at the finish line with a bouquet of flowers from my honey. I’m done and it’s over, and I can hardly fathom what just happened.

We peel the top of our jeep and drive off into the afternoon sun with a perfect rainbow marking our path, and it is the most picturesque thing you’ve ever seen.

Here’s the funniest part of it all: the winner of the race was determined not by who crossed the finish line first, but by who guessed their time most accurately. Prior to the run, we were each asked to predict how long our run would take. I was planning on saying 2.5 hours, because that’s typically about how long it takes me to run 16 miles. The guy in front of me, however, guessed his time to be 3 hours, and that caused me to reconsider my initial plan. It would be silly of me to think that I can run the race faster than this athletic-looking fellow, so I offer 3 hours for my time as well.

Turns out I ran the race in 2:59:58, two seconds off of my prediction, which makes me the winner of the whole thing. How hysterical is that?!? So yeah, you’re looking at the reining champion of the Valley Isle Road Runners’ Turkey Trot.

November Taught Me

1. The frequency with which I reference the Dewey Decimal System is unusual and abnormal.
2. Hawaii does not observe Daylight Savings Time.
3. Sometimes your cell phone service provider will give you a new charger for free, and it will make your day.
4. The area code for the state of Hawaii is (808).
5. I have mastered the complex process of putting the top on a 2-door soft top Jeep Wrangler.
6. My boyfriend cooks a mean turkey.
7. Drinking Kona coffee makes me wish I was back in Maui.
8. I despise Black Friday, but Cyber Monday is where it’s at.
9. 22 uninterrupted hours of travel is (surprisingly) not as bad as it sounds.
10. I need to own more jackets.

What I’m Loving Wednesday

I am loving that I have dinner plans with the fam tomorrow night. I have hardly seen my crew since before I went out of town, and that was almost two weeks ago. I can’t wait to pass out souvenirs, share pictures and stories, and catch up on life. We all have so much going on, it’s hard to get everybody in the same room at the same time. Oh, but when we do, it is good. Very, very good.

I am loving sushi. Not just today, but always. Today in particular, however, I went on a fun lunch date, and the restaurant we went to was fantastic, so it’s especially on my mind.  Sakura in Germantown. The rolls are massive, well-priced, fresh, and tasty. I’ll be back.

I am loving the new wrapping paper I bought and annihilated in the same day. Yep, that’s right, I’ve already started wrapping presents. It’s not my usual MO to have already purchased and wrapped gifts this early into the Christmas season, so can we please take a moment to acknowledge this impressive act of anti-procrastination? Fun fact: You can’t really tell here, but the red writing is covered in glitter that will forever bind itself to your hands, the floor, and whatever you are wearing.

And lastly, I am loving that the St. Jude Memphis Marathon is this weekend. I always look forward to a good half marathon, and this is one of the best! Now here’s to counting down to race day and hoping for comfortable weather the morning of!