tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49380177093660221582024-03-12T20:04:20.504-04:00A Quiet Girl's Musings...A Lifestyle BlogEricka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.comBlogger577125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-39663928958111758632019-12-05T00:05:00.000-05:002019-12-05T00:05:01.125-05:00Currently... (Vol. 45)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Counting...</b> down the day until Christmas Break.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Acknowledging...</b> that the above statement is absolutely pathetic given that I just returned back to work from having 3 days off for Thanksgiving last week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Feeling...</b> like I had no break because I spent most of the break sick as a dog (Norovirus).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Watching...</b> <i>The Dublin Murders</i> on STARZ. It's a very intriguing show, but I inevitably have to watch each episode twice in order to catch everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Listening to...</b> no audiobooks at the moment. I did start Demi Moore's autobiography, but when I got sick it fell to the wayside. I'll have to restart it at a later time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Reading...</b> nothing at the moment either.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Making...</b> my book selection choices for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookChallengeByErin/">Book Challenge by Erin 12.0</a>. If you are interesting in joining, check out the link.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hoping...</b> to figure out a way to see Poison, Motley Crue, and Def Leppard during their stadium tour next summer. They're coming nowhere close to me, so going will take some planning on my part.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Still dealing...</b> with elbow issues, which is why my blogging has dwindled considerably as of late. Typing fatigues my elbows and forearms something awful, so after a typical day at work, where I've completed Medicaid billing, IEPs, evaluation reports, etc., the last thing I want to do when I get home is do more typing for my blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Laughing...</b> at this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>October and November in a (two) snapshots:</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Sunrise one October morning, watching Dear Evan Hanson, Phil Collins in concert.<br />2) Backseat full of cookie cake, colors of autumn, leafy walk<br />3) Great day - second lane opened on ramp from 64 to Watterson Expressway!,<br />field trip with Jax, my work roommates and me on Halloween.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYOBXEZHGKAcRdoDUHHoANzERBAcIU9qhCUa4wbVbsNuKUymy6CDI3h68W88br3FgK4yjILwB9nKkLI1i-Tzf158PbzHji1PcpsBxhB534fT9oKrxqB4e4RHfJU1hTvNKsD59IQGQmA/s1600/48DD8BAA-EB6E-40D9-820F-02741E5234C1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYOBXEZHGKAcRdoDUHHoANzERBAcIU9qhCUa4wbVbsNuKUymy6CDI3h68W88br3FgK4yjILwB9nKkLI1i-Tzf158PbzHji1PcpsBxhB534fT9oKrxqB4e4RHfJU1hTvNKsD59IQGQmA/s400/48DD8BAA-EB6E-40D9-820F-02741E5234C1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Two year anniversary at Simpsonville, hiking Long Point trail in WV, my hiking companions<br />2) My buddy when no one else is around, abandoned resort from 20s and 30s,<br />my "Wildcard Prize" from Book Challenge by Erin 11.0.<br />3) GIANT leaf, crop circles on my skin (courtesy of cupping), decorating the ugly boxwoods.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">What have you been up to lately? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with:</span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-45860697022374048302019-10-31T00:31:00.000-04:002019-10-31T00:31:08.922-04:00How to Be Me for Halloween<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>How to be Ericka for Halloween</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>What You Will Need:</b></u></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A loose-fitting t-shirt; preferably one that features the Chicago Cubs, Marshall University, Teddy the Dog, or some travel destination. If it's chilly, pair with a dark colored, Columbia fleece jacket.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loose-fitting athletic pants, preferably either Adidas or Under Armour. Yoga pants or leggings</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><u style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">will not</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> wo</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">rk. If you are in a pinch, bootcut jeans will suffice as long as you wear them with a basic brown or black belt. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A tube of Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (to be kept in your right pants' pocket.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Fit Bit Zip (to be kept in your left pants' pocket.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A pair of running sneakers, preferably ASICS.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A can of Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Either a crossbody purse or a student-style backpack with flags of foreign countries all over it.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>How to Pull Off the Character:</u></b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wear no makeup. None.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Your hair can be dried and ironed straight. For a more common look, should be allowed to dry naturally so that it has unruly, "beachy" waves.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have a resting bitch face.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wear minimal jewelry - a simple necklace, silver wedding band, maybe a simple bracelet on left wrist. Earrings should be simple studs.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Speak with a deep voice.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Laugh in a free-flowing, hearty manner.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Possess knowledge of random 80s trivia - especially of pop culture, music, and movies of the 80s. Knowledge of "one hit wonders" and Bon Jovi discography are a must.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Know very little current popular culture - especially TV shows, music, celebrity gossip, and most things on Instagram.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have little dark bruises on your upper forearms (evidence of the dry needling sessions you've recently had to treat your tennis elbow).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If at a party or some other gathering with a lot of people, hang out along the perimeter of the gathering so that you can observe people and their interactions. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once you are in a smaller group, quick whit is essential!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Be VERY expressive with your facial expressions - this is </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">something you are <i>known</i> for!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Decline straws.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't allow foods on your plate to touch one another.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love, love, love the color purple.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Phrases/Vocabulary the Character is Known For:</u></b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Y'all"</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Let me think about it."</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Gotcha."</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"I'd love to travel there."</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Well, shit fire..."</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"It poured the rain."</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Really? <i>Really</i>?"</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"You're killin' me, Smalls..."</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Have a very Happy Halloween!</i></b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/@bertellifotografia?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels">Matheus Bertelli </a>from <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-and-white-led-light-1789541/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels">Pexels</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Inspired by </span><a href="https://www.lifeaccordingtosteph.com/2018/10/how-to-be-me-for-halloween.html" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Steph</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="https://allisonarnone.com/post/166742106972/how-to-be-me-for-halloween" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Allison</a></span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-57028809184487136572019-10-10T00:10:00.000-04:002019-10-27T18:25:29.398-04:00Forest Giants in a Giant Forest at Bernheim <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Approximately 20 minutes south of Louisville, KY is Bernheim Forest, a 16,000 acre arboretum that is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. To celebrate, Bernheim collaborated with Danish artist, Thomas Dambo, to construct three giant sculptures throughout the arboretum using recycled wood from the region. The sculptures depict three giants: Mama Loumari, Little Nis, and Little Elina. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Mama Loumari</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mama Loumari, who is pregnant with her third child, is seen relaxing and enjoying nature while her two children are out and about exploring the forest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Little Nis</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Little Nis is the youngest and smallest of the Forest Giants. He likes to explore and is excited by his newest discovery - his reflection!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Little Elina</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Little Elina is the older sister of Little Nis. She loves rocks and is building the outline of a feather with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The family arrived at Bernheim in March of 2019 and they are expected to reside in the arboretum for at least 3 years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>If you go:</b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bernheim Forest is located approximately 20 minutes south of Louisville in Clermont, KY, which is also home to the Jim Beam distillery. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bernheim is open daily, 7am - 7pm, but is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The admission to Bernheim is a $10 per car donation.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://sharonrwagner.blogspot.com/2018/08/park-avenue_20.html">Sharon's Souvenirs</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="https://shootingstarsmag.net/">Shooting Stars Mag</a> and <a href="http://www.notinjersey.com/">Not In Jersey</a></span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-11827508761315178832019-10-03T00:03:00.000-04:002019-10-03T00:03:00.693-04:00Currently... (Vol. 44)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR5o33GsyajWapYCR05pzfXGGe60vk6r8QRIYz7zyBTwWy13WQoelNRs_p4FQuh-cOaXm53HYpEaLGyZZG6Ef_XVizDZS-3Ia2C_X3m24_DkO8OYkCJ4cAQiERA5JYFRY6m8e1pqBMQ/s1600/Currently+Fall+17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="958" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR5o33GsyajWapYCR05pzfXGGe60vk6r8QRIYz7zyBTwWy13WQoelNRs_p4FQuh-cOaXm53HYpEaLGyZZG6Ef_XVizDZS-3Ia2C_X3m24_DkO8OYkCJ4cAQiERA5JYFRY6m8e1pqBMQ/s640/Currently+Fall+17.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Anxiously awaiting...</b> autumn's arrival. Autumn technically started about a week and a half ago, but here in KY we're still experiencing the summer that just won't quit! Seriously - 90s in October?!?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ready...</b> and I mean, <i>REALLY READY</i> for</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> crisp, chilly mornings; cool walks in the park; and the AC not running all day long. I'm ready for summer to exit stage right.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Craving...</b> a caramel apple and a </span>funnel cake! Don't ask me why...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Missing...</b> my weekday morning walks in the park. This working thing is really cramping my style and my workouts! LOL!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Watching...</b> <i>The Masked Singer </i>on Wednesday nights. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Realizing...</b> how ignorant I am about current popular culture. Last week I got lucky and correctly guessed who The Egg was on <i>The Masked Singer</i> (Johnny Weir). I had absolutely no idea who the The Ice Cream was, even after he took off his mask (Ninja... some famous gamer).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><strike>Reading</strike> Listening...</b> to the audiobook <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/87966.Ashes_to_Ashes">Ashes to Ashes</a></i> by Tami Hoag.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Receiving...</b> acupuncture and dry needling treatments to treat tennis elbow.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Thinking...</b> that it's kind of funny that I have tennis elbow and I haven't played tennis since 1983 when I took a week's worth of lessons and lost five cans of tennis balls, at which point my mom said that tennis was too expensive of a sport for me to play.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Looking...</b> forward to seeing Phil Collins next week! Seeing him has been on my bucket list for a while.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotCgoxLI7TjpE0ElI-Jjpe4LMIl5f2tW5gqnOb9izW1LO26-IWS5z3gCR9H3czjlW0S1vIq7Nk4qTXfNUrJG6_Tw3VGVMFFonx6jtOLi-x0grkE4sz7gZg00m2DP4gJUSxFi2o_bL7w/s1600/910x350-Phil-Collins-2018-90e5320b50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="910" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotCgoxLI7TjpE0ElI-Jjpe4LMIl5f2tW5gqnOb9izW1LO26-IWS5z3gCR9H3czjlW0S1vIq7Nk4qTXfNUrJG6_Tw3VGVMFFonx6jtOLi-x0grkE4sz7gZg00m2DP4gJUSxFi2o_bL7w/s400/910x350-Phil-Collins-2018-90e5320b50.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Laughing...</b> at this:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Agreeing...</b> with this:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>September in a Snapshot:</b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdX-VKtosMXGsko1sYw6jv0tsOQ-efLPA7C-mCJAvB1p2waYOjRJ8UoWKKHuoFIwqn0m6O8EVdggMO0CQY7Ms_G5fTVDb7Nb1dw6BQM1HPnPGtnsucYqnGNCLO_U3-rrMMwW-BQ1yiw/s1600/3368A902-B0D5-4F30-8BCA-F41CCBDF3CFD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdX-VKtosMXGsko1sYw6jv0tsOQ-efLPA7C-mCJAvB1p2waYOjRJ8UoWKKHuoFIwqn0m6O8EVdggMO0CQY7Ms_G5fTVDb7Nb1dw6BQM1HPnPGtnsucYqnGNCLO_U3-rrMMwW-BQ1yiw/s400/3368A902-B0D5-4F30-8BCA-F41CCBDF3CFD.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 & 2) Me watching an exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum of Art, 3) my 20th first day of school as a public school SLP.<br />4) Pennywise on the freeway - YIKES, 5) Giants at Bernheim Forest, 6) giant turkey buzzard in my backyard!<br />7) making a therapy schedule... ugh, 8) sunrise from my parking spot, 9) 100F on September 30!!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">What have you been up to lately?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with:</span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-21162967498684262182019-10-01T00:01:00.000-04:002019-10-01T00:01:01.664-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books with the Numbers 1-10 in the Title<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwozRWDRTHGti6WET5skZeWE8sAGYKLLzSr7pH5idPx_s0K8yRG9NNzi9KUq2bEQ_vh6LN4uRzzlPyZNx9p3q4x2sle95bjeYHTSb6UX5kC8OPmhyphenhyphenwEGR4Ko9jizuQh9cT3z4PB9keg/s1600/TTT-Big2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="500" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwozRWDRTHGti6WET5skZeWE8sAGYKLLzSr7pH5idPx_s0K8yRG9NNzi9KUq2bEQ_vh6LN4uRzzlPyZNx9p3q4x2sle95bjeYHTSb6UX5kC8OPmhyphenhyphenwEGR4Ko9jizuQh9cT3z4PB9keg/s640/TTT-Big2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Ready Player One</i> by Ernest Cline</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Two Can Keep a Secret</i> by Karen M. McManus</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Three Shirt Deal</i> by Stephen J. Cannell</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Four to Score</i> by Janet Evanovich</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Across Five Aprils</i> by Irene Hunt</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Daisy Jones & The Six</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Hard Eight</i> by Janet Evanovich</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Nine Women, One Dress</i> by Jane L. Rosen</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Woman in Cabin 10</i> by Ruth Ware</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>BONUS: <i>11/22/63</i> by Stephen King</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">I will admit that I was <i>very</i> tempted to use the first ten titles of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series for this prompt, but where would be the fun in that? LOL! I have read or listened to all of these books, with the exception of the bonus book,11/23/1963, which has been on my TBR <i>forever</i>.</span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "quattrocento sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to </span><a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" style="border: 0px; font-family: "quattrocento sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That Artsy Reader Girl</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "quattrocento sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. </span></i></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-91434757413132758102019-09-30T00:30:00.000-04:002019-09-30T00:30:09.815-04:00My Happy List - What I Enjoyed in July, August, and September (Vol. 10)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JT1dpDfkasoNVa1yhwihQPjOlAzSMxgR1Sv3nOrfnUaYsPCd13BR-G9rxov05nz80wvFON7ZwLz1UoXYaO_lG-30We83QCy-WNocCRXuRQtEWcfisN4yKmifajMjVSWkPah0qAaxHQ/s1600/My+Happy+List.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="935" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JT1dpDfkasoNVa1yhwihQPjOlAzSMxgR1Sv3nOrfnUaYsPCd13BR-G9rxov05nz80wvFON7ZwLz1UoXYaO_lG-30We83QCy-WNocCRXuRQtEWcfisN4yKmifajMjVSWkPah0qAaxHQ/s640/My+Happy+List.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In keeping with my plan to periodically "c</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">heck-in" and share some of the things that have brought me enjoyment, (</span><a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2019/02/my-word-of-year.html" style="color: #6614ff; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;">ENJOY is my word of the year</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, after all), please allow me to shar</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e a sampling of the things that I enjoyed in July, August, and this month.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>4... </b>being back home<b> </b>in WV<b> </b>and enjoying my family's annual Independence Day cookout.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>8...</b> spending the evening with my best friend, C, while watching her daughter play in a state softball tournament.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>9...</b> exploring a new hiking trail with my aunt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>13...</b> having dinner out with R and two of our friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>21...</b> binge watching <i>Stranger Things</i> because I was stuck inside due to it being way too hot outside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>23...</b> the much welcomed, cooler temperatures (high 70s, low 80s) after several days of a yucky heatwave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>24...</b> eating lunch with one of my former work roommates. We spent 5 hours at Panera laughing and catching up. It was nice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>25...</b> a long overdue phone date with my best friend. Yes, we were able to see each other earlier this month, but we weren't able to talk freely and at length.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>8..</b>. spending the day with my mom at the WV State Fair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>10...</b> the breakfast that my 86-year old grandmother prepared. It's been years since I've had "Granny Biscuits."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>14...</b> listening to Bruce Springsteen's autobiography, <i>Born to Run</i>, while walking in the park.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>17...</b> the Salted Caramel Blondie ice cream from Ben and Jerry's in Freeport, ME.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>19...</b> my authentic Maine breakfast - pancakes with Maine blueberries (which were on the underside of the pancakes) and Maine maple syrup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>20...</b> watching the sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>23...</b> a long overdue lunch date with one of my closest friends from college. We live in the same city, but only get to properly catch up in person about once or twice a year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>30...</b> completing the 175 Mile Summer Challenge. (I walked 175 miles between June 9 and September 2.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>31...</b> playing in the mud (Rugged Maniac obstacle course race) with one of my speech path buddies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>September 2...</b> seeing the "No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man" exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>8...</b> exploring the Forest Giants at Bernheim Forest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>12...</b> having dinner with Ci and Jo, two former coworkers and teammates who have become longtime friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>14...</b> attending my friend's gender reveal party. It's a boy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>21...</b> binge watching season 1 of <i>Mayans MC</i> on Hulu.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>24...</b> sitting out on my deck enjoying the break from the unseasonably hot weather.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>27...</b> the unplanned, but blissful nap I took during my acupuncture session (more on this soon).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Happy Monday and have a great week!</b></span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-63598025137297459802019-09-10T00:10:00.000-04:002019-09-10T00:10:00.612-04:00Recently Read Vol. 35<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's been a LONG time since I have participated in the Show Us Your Books linkup. Blame it the crazy second semester I had at work, my half marathon training in the spring, the death of my stepson and the adjustment to what my husband and I are calling our new normal, my overall disinterest in blogging, and my all-consuming <i>Stranger Things</i> and all things WWII TV binge watching obsession in July. There have been numerous times in which I've sat down to review the books that I've completed, but... Well, something always presented itself that kept me from it. Such is life, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Between February and June, I read and/or listened to these books:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31434883-eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine">Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine </a></i>by Gail Honeyman (My rating: 4/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41715227-evidence-of-the-affair">Evidence of the Affair</a></i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Short story; My rating: 4/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I</i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20521579-in-movement-there-is-peace"><i>n Movement There is Peace: Stumbling 500 Miles Along The Way to the Spirit</i></a> by Elaine Orabona Foster and Joseph Wilbred Foster (My rating: 4/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40597810-daisy-jones-the-six">Daisy Jones and The Six </a></i>by Taylor Jenkins Reid (My rating: 4/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6690549-master-of-the-mountain">Master of the Mountain</a></i> by Cherise Sinclair (Re-read; My rating: 3/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38225791-two-can-keep-a-secret">Two Can Keep a Secret</a> by Karen M. McManus (My rating: 4/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23449069-master-of-the-abyss">Master of the Abyss</a></i> by Cherise Sinclair (Re-read; My rating: 4/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25565015-master-of-the-dark-side">Master of the Dark Side</a></i> by Cherise Sinclair (My rating: 3/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13062.Skin_Tight">Skin Tight</a></i> by Carl Hiaasen (My rating: 3/5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of these, the most notable standout for me was </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Daisy Jones and The Six.</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I loved the unique setup of the novel (it felt like a "Behind the Music" rock-doc but in book audiobook form). I also genuinely loved the characters and by the book's end, I felt as if I had taken their extraordinary journey with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">--|---|--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are the books I read/listened to in July and August:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373463-us-against-you">Us Against You</a></i> by Fredrik Backman</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Rating: 4/5</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Us Against You</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is the continuation of </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Beartown</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and chronicles the lives of Beartown's townspeople after the unthinkable happens and tears their small town apart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Final Verdict: If you liked Beartown, I'd recommend </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Us Against You</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39999.The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pajamas">The Boy in the Striped Pajamas</a></i> by John Boyne</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Rating: 4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a WWII story, specifically about a concentration camp, as told by a young boy who is the son of the camp's Nazi commander. It is a s</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">uper quick read, but despite this, it still drew me in and left me dealing with many raw emotions. It offers a unique perspective in WWII historical fiction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Final Verdict: Recommend</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32024902-darker">Darker</a></i> by E. L. James</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Rating: 2.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This story follows the plot line of </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Fifty Shades Darker</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, the second book in the original trilogy, but is told from Christian's point of view. I'm really over this story at this point, even though I enjoyed Christian's POV and found him less annoying than Anastatia. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Final Verdict: Meh...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55022.The_Neon_Rain">The Neon Rain</a></i> by James Lee Burke</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Rating: 3/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the story of a police detective in New Orleans and is the first in a long running series. It was ok. It held my attention for the first 75% of the book, but then it started to unravel and it just fell apart. The main character was likable enough but rather unforgettable in the long term. He made no impression on me. I doubt I'll continue the series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Final Verdict: Meh...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16130531-forever-interrupted">Forever Interrupted</a></i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Rating: 3/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Forever, Interrupted</i> was the last of TJR's book that I needed to read. It's the story of a young woman whose husband of a few weeks dies unexpectedly and how she copes in the aftermath. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Final Verdict: Although it's not my favorite, I still think it is worth reading - especially if you like TJR.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Born to Run</i> by Bruce Springsteen</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My rating: 5/5</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I love audiobook autobiographies that are read by the author. Although Bruce’s slower speaking rate and intonation made this audiobook longer, those same factors added so much character and depth to this piece of work. Listening to this book felt like Bruce came over to my house one afternoon and regaled me with stories of his life. Springsteen did a wonderful job of sharing not only the aspects of his career, but also intimate aspects of his personal life which I feel took much courage. I now have a deeply renewed sense of admiration for The Boss.</span></div>
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Final Verdict: Recommend</div>
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<b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9460487-miss-peregrine-s-home-for-peculiar-children">Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</a></i> by Ransom Riggs</b></div>
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My rating: 4/5</div>
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Sci-fy and fantasy aren't typically my jam, but I found this book to be enjoyable enough. It has a unique storyline that's simply too complex to summarize here (Goodreads does a great job though.)</div>
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Final Verdict: Coin toss</div>
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Well, there you have it - what I've read since January. Have you read any of them? If so, what are your thoughts? What have you read lately? <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: center;">Linking up with </span><a href="http://www.lifeaccordingtosteph.com/" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">Steph</a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: center;"> and </span><a href="http://janasays.com/" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">Jana</a></span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-62325177194075345782019-09-05T00:05:00.000-04:002019-09-05T06:08:54.855-04:00Currently... (Vol. 43)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Back...</b> to work after the longest summer break of my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Grateful...</b> for all the opportunities, opportunities for rest, reflection, and rejuvenation, that this extended summer break provided.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Happy... </b> to report that I survived the Rugged Maniac (mud obstacle course race) last weekend with no broken bones! I am, however, sporting a lovely shiner on my left eye...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Admitting...</b> that the 3.1 mile course filled with 25 obstacles was TOUGH and definitely not for the faint of heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Loving...</b> my new room at work! For the first time ever in my nearly 20-year career, I have a room with a window that actually looks outside! (For the past two years, the room I was in had windows, but they looked into the copier room... LOL!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Looking forward... </b> to all things autumn: crisp, chilly mornings; the changing foliage; long evening shadows; R's chili; cool walks in the park; apples, apples, and more apples; and the sound of college football on TV.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Watching...</b> <i>The Affair</i> on Showtime. Last week I watched season 3 and 4 to get caught up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Behind...</b> on watching <i>Yellowstone</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><strike>Reading</strike> Listening to...</b> the audiobook <i>Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Laughing...</b> at this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Agreeing...</b> with this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>August in a Snapshot:</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEXSq3eIE6XGrJfs4mmR7ReS6Lf5x70wPwv0SkXgA9PqSevamimsjh37G9r5m04fBkYDKq2AI6_s6N8fXjzmQryCKczw4JEKYH4qK3PIkfeggPR0bQyUraaMIKJ3dqZ_Sibi0A16gow/s1600/DEBB57A3-B5BB-4F4E-BF09-047BF9C8B303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEXSq3eIE6XGrJfs4mmR7ReS6Lf5x70wPwv0SkXgA9PqSevamimsjh37G9r5m04fBkYDKq2AI6_s6N8fXjzmQryCKczw4JEKYH4qK3PIkfeggPR0bQyUraaMIKJ3dqZ_Sibi0A16gow/s400/DEBB57A3-B5BB-4F4E-BF09-047BF9C8B303.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) With my mom at the WV State Fair, so excited about my WINDOW in my new room, <br />R and I loved this soda that we discovered in Maine!<br />2) Acadia NP coastline, blueberry pancakes with real Maine blueberries, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain.<br />3) I finally lost my toenail, I finished the 175-Mile Summer Challenge, three Rugged Maniacs!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What have you been up to lately?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with:</span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-30314421679024614432019-08-01T00:01:00.000-04:002019-08-01T00:01:07.671-04:00Currently... (Vol. 42)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMXrITk8ZoSI_tBDzIm0uoGdMd1U-tY7UDO6HcgFca7euQx6wdeLxBR5JOf_eJCHFKZJdXV_hHYMKdI-QMOi-38wL1Y0HKg8uSrDKby969IfI6CTxuSZ4ChEWgPIz3OyRLqJqlQ6CrA/s1600/Currently+Summer+2018.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="771" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMXrITk8ZoSI_tBDzIm0uoGdMd1U-tY7UDO6HcgFca7euQx6wdeLxBR5JOf_eJCHFKZJdXV_hHYMKdI-QMOi-38wL1Y0HKg8uSrDKby969IfI6CTxuSZ4ChEWgPIz3OyRLqJqlQ6CrA/s640/Currently+Summer+2018.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Disbelieving... </b>that today is August 1 and I still have almost a month until the new school year begins. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Taking... </b>full advantage of having additional time off. Due to delays with the construction of a new school, the district in which I work had to postpone the first day of school until the day after Labor Day! Yeah... To give you some perspective, last year the first day of school was August 1. I'd honestly rather work in August and have more time off throughout the year, but... it is what it is. I intend to make the most of this unusually long summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Looking... </b> forward to visiting Acadia National Park later this month. I've never been before, but have heard it's beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Attempting...</b> "one bag travel" during my trip to Maine. I can be a tad of an over-packer, so this will be a serious challenge for me. I'll let you know how it goes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Struggling...</b> to get in enough weekly miles so I can finish the 175 Mile Summer Challenge by Labor Day. As of today, I've completed 105 miles, but still have 70 to go and 32 days to do them in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Unprepared...</b> for the mud obstacle course my friend and I are doing on Labor Day weekend. I truly had plans to increase my upper body strength, but... well, it just didn't happen. But, I'm going on and will do the best I can. There may be several obstacles I'll just have to skip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Watching... </b> too much TV as of late. I'm not kidding when I say that I don't watch very much TV, because normally I don't. However, since July 21st, I've binge watched all three seasons of <i>Stranger Things</i> (25 episodes), <i>World War II in HD Colour</i> (a 13 episode documentary that I found completely fascinating given that it was in color), three other WWII documentaries (<i>The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler</i>, <i>Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War</i>, and <i>Hiroshima</i>), and three movies that were set in WWII (<i>The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Imitation Game</i>, and <i>The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society</i>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Perplexed...</b> as to why I'm soaking up all this WWII information like a sponge. I mean, I've always found the time period and events of WWII interesting, but my fascination in the past few days is... weird.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Enjoying...</b> all the memories of the 1980s that have resurfaced in my mind since watching Stranger Things: Trapper Keepers, New Coke, mullets, arcades, and the music... man. It's been a fun trip down memory lane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Listening...</b> to the audiobook <i>Forever, Interrupted</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Slightly amused and slightly annoyed...</b> by this football "manifesto" of sorts that an acquaintance of mine posted on FB. I assume the author was trying to be funny, but considering the fact that this person is a complete narcissist, and I truly mean that, I believe it was posted with complete honesty. Here are a few points from this manifesto and my internal responses:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: italic;">"I will NOT attend ANYTHING Thursday through Monday nights or past noon on Saturday & Sunday unless you have </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; line-height: normal;">🏈</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: italic;"> on a television. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>***Please note - Games featuring Penn State and the Redskins take priority over all other games." </i><b>- Duly n</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">oted. Not that I've ever invited you to anything before, but I definitely won't start now.</span></b></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Weddings & all other events are for bye weeks or planned around GAME TIME!!! It's not my fault you are starting your married life & such proving to everyone you are a horrible planner. I am not saying I won't be there but if I am it will be when the game is over!" </i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Again, duly noted. Sorry that you would place more value on a sports team than on a relationship you have with someone who is nice enough and thinks enough of you to invite you to a wedding or other big event. I'm not planning any big events for the fall, but if my plans change, I'll just save us both some time and won't invite you, how's that?</span></b></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"In the event that we are watching a game together, and you are not a Skins or Penn State fan, you will NOT cheer against them. But I will cheer against your team-especially the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Pitt, Michigan & Ohio State." -</i> <b><u>Oh. Hell. No.</u> In the highly unlikely event that I find myself watching a game in the same room as you, you need to know this - you're not the boss of me. I'll do whatever I damn well feel like, which includes cheering for or against whomever I please, thank you very much. And you can rest assured that during this upcoming football season, my favorite collegiate team, other than my alma mater of course, will be whomever is playing against Penn State and as for NFL, my favorite team will be whomever is playing against Washington.</b></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Questioning... </b>why I'm connected with this person in the first place. LOL!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Admitting... </b> that I had mixed results with my Plastic Free July attempt. I did really well in some areas and not so well in others (like the single-use containers that produce comes in at the supermarket as well as the containers of activator and dye in my hair coloring kit). It was a hard experience, but very eye opening.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Laughing... </b> at this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG48kezI-uy8_erBb7ZwYTOj9ugom3PPkvuM5CzGSik4hRoZnOqT7_XYkdQF7soeZonZhRG5IJYyAjgDfbTB-RZZDevAO4sXcv0KRtye4H0AWybAVZptRHzgpk9DIc1IYzGjK301Sfw/s1600/IMG_1937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG48kezI-uy8_erBb7ZwYTOj9ugom3PPkvuM5CzGSik4hRoZnOqT7_XYkdQF7soeZonZhRG5IJYyAjgDfbTB-RZZDevAO4sXcv0KRtye4H0AWybAVZptRHzgpk9DIc1IYzGjK301Sfw/s640/IMG_1937.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Admitting... </b>that I recognize all the faces above (I can even name the shows they were on, although I can't remember all their names), that I have reading glasses, and that I have a bum shoulder and elbow that act up with increasing regularity. All of the jeans in my closet fit, though. LOL!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Agreeing...</b> with this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz57NJtwWrB1hOjUpAXrpLag8zWO0NkG8cfmLx_fwdX7qMy80ZDl_w2eCmEvUuJ9D-khPXPnMGyCcor3AVSYsJmyA4AtdVtKAQDnh6nPrI_oSPq_8V4PmFTaK-MsSH4trAKmIb7l0mkg/s1600/IMG_1846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz57NJtwWrB1hOjUpAXrpLag8zWO0NkG8cfmLx_fwdX7qMy80ZDl_w2eCmEvUuJ9D-khPXPnMGyCcor3AVSYsJmyA4AtdVtKAQDnh6nPrI_oSPq_8V4PmFTaK-MsSH4trAKmIb7l0mkg/s400/IMG_1846.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>July in a Snapshot:</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArZjqTVSHa8hNh8sTVbpMUYBhf3L_b3ckgIgodiorRMa-sNLJN1SXbppdmMHfOjmXAFEfQoAMcz_dbD1JboybvotswpITCH0bXvzH9Qr9iBdp_RWvDgR3zi1zdHrVBk1BdnEWicNx1A/s1600/BACF8F54-291B-4EEE-9D28-CC0EAD110280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArZjqTVSHa8hNh8sTVbpMUYBhf3L_b3ckgIgodiorRMa-sNLJN1SXbppdmMHfOjmXAFEfQoAMcz_dbD1JboybvotswpITCH0bXvzH9Qr9iBdp_RWvDgR3zi1zdHrVBk1BdnEWicNx1A/s400/BACF8F54-291B-4EEE-9D28-CC0EAD110280.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) HUGE piece of cake for anniversary dessert, celebrating my grandmother's 86th birthday,<br />one of my mom's flowers.<br />2) Hiking with my aunt in WV, dog sitting, lost dinosaur in the park<br />3) Finisher's medal for a virtual 10K I did this month, Louisville's heat wave, <br />Trapper Keeper (scene from Stranger Things)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What have you been up to lately?</span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-75199483214457546892019-07-30T00:07:00.002-04:002019-07-30T00:07:22.560-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: Inspirational and Thought Provoking Quotes From Books<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is actually a prompt from earlier this year, which I missed from some reason or another - whomp, whomp... But, given that today's prompt is a freebie, I've been given a second chance. Yay! Without further ado, here are some of the most inspirational and thought provoking quotes from books that I've come across in recent years: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Everyone is a hundred different things, but in other people's eyes we usually get the chance to be only one of them." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">- from <i>Us Against You</i> by Frederik Backman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Culture isn't just what we encourage but what we allow to happen." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">- from <i>Us Against You</i> by Fredrik Backman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Everything's a risk. Not doing anything is a risk. It's up to you." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">- from <i>Everything, Everything</i> by Nicola Yoon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows or three thousand or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around in it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But for some of us, there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">- from <i>Before I Fall</i> by Lauren Oliver</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"One morning you wake up with more life behind you than in front of you, not being able to understand how it's </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">happened." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">- from <i>Britt-Marie Was Here</i> by Fredrik Backman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"When you're given an opportunity to change your life, be ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen. The world doesn't give things, you take things." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">- from <i>The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">"Make sure, as often as possible, you are doing something you’d be happy to die doing."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">- from <i>The Humans</i> by Matt Haig</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">"Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it." </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">- from <i>Eat, Pray, Love</i> by Elizabeth Gilbert</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">"Passion is...it's fire. And fire is great, man. But we're made of water. Water is how we keep living. Water is what we need to survive. My family was my water. I picked water. I'll pick water every time." </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">- from<i> Daisy Jones & The Six</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">"There’s something about swimsuits that make you think you’ve got to earn the right to wear them. And that’s wrong. Really, the criteria is simple. Do you have a body? Put a swimsuit on it." </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">- from <i>Dumplin'</i> by Julie Murphy </span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-85743203241847596192019-07-03T12:33:00.002-04:002019-07-03T12:33:41.784-04:00Currently... (Vol. 41)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoR8toWrYzZER-OtKrNXMIgdHGGUZetHn9nvIzVP32cdJcT18uovPRaqJJFj1AL6UbrfBtKXqtBBMg-ed0PZ6tezGhpMpLdsabSXfYSpp1BZc0Jsc3vbNO8EAvfsQPt9HUZZn_D1RIw/s1600/currently+summer16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoR8toWrYzZER-OtKrNXMIgdHGGUZetHn9nvIzVP32cdJcT18uovPRaqJJFj1AL6UbrfBtKXqtBBMg-ed0PZ6tezGhpMpLdsabSXfYSpp1BZc0Jsc3vbNO8EAvfsQPt9HUZZn_D1RIw/s640/currently+summer16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Enjoying...</b> waking up without an alarm.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CE_tiOIgWqJ34ac5ew4lFPGYRD2EDEFhOjLKBOP6CgWsPP3JCXpy_ZeLF5F0v30oI30EnusD31Y-TrTd1HWwS3c7si2CASvs51tktStlZUNHtKxKGGU93r4Gd2x-mSOtamgrGRfIqg/s1600/happiness-no-alarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CE_tiOIgWqJ34ac5ew4lFPGYRD2EDEFhOjLKBOP6CgWsPP3JCXpy_ZeLF5F0v30oI30EnusD31Y-TrTd1HWwS3c7si2CASvs51tktStlZUNHtKxKGGU93r4Gd2x-mSOtamgrGRfIqg/s400/happiness-no-alarm.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Planning... </b>a 4-5 day trip in August. Given that the start of the 2019-20 school year has been pushed back due to numerous weather related delays (rain), I figure I should make the most of the additional time off, especially since I will not get a Fall Break this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Singing... </b> this line from the Creedence Clearwater Revival song:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJK5HNcoGQ6MKxjGP75yB_VslBfsTPlGEXqCR6iZ5FA9MlcLKXF1Mu0SRivRIiN40CIry1wxZnGq8M8Bgu454uK-O7nTTVdsCEwP8no5erkbr3bOkQLuKh90-8upv9QhnrM6EGJOrWPg/s1600/and-i-wonder-still-wonder-wholl-stop-the-rain-memegenerator-net-53066404.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="496" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJK5HNcoGQ6MKxjGP75yB_VslBfsTPlGEXqCR6iZ5FA9MlcLKXF1Mu0SRivRIiN40CIry1wxZnGq8M8Bgu454uK-O7nTTVdsCEwP8no5erkbr3bOkQLuKh90-8upv9QhnrM6EGJOrWPg/s640/and-i-wonder-still-wonder-wholl-stop-the-rain-memegenerator-net-53066404.png" width="432" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tired...</b> of the persistent rain that has plagued the Ohio Valley for much of the past year. A local news station posted these on FB within the last week:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoG82Q02I288iRfC-7Y2SLlIOt_PSYeZ3pUAVWPbRoVb6PaueUl2m6c9YeEy0Dn-VkBWsKXC___aKbWDZIF1LTB5yANVpgoj1u1pPjCvAhlJ0LsAYptrv46NeNMH1qbsWDEvN7LMrog/s1600/IMG_1688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoG82Q02I288iRfC-7Y2SLlIOt_PSYeZ3pUAVWPbRoVb6PaueUl2m6c9YeEy0Dn-VkBWsKXC___aKbWDZIF1LTB5yANVpgoj1u1pPjCvAhlJ0LsAYptrv46NeNMH1qbsWDEvN7LMrog/s400/IMG_1688.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*As of 6/26. It is now 50 because we had a downpour on Sunday 6/30.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuiK8UXj2qKv0zIfvE9YivMBA_ffbH8l8dYoBT_s2liwpaG6QptXA2z0UJGujlBGTrRgSANZrefz5R7CtMYAsjjdzkbEwp9ayUtaLB9yAeXWmniS70UTxjsb5866wdBaHITF1tK0Z3w/s1600/IMG_1753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuiK8UXj2qKv0zIfvE9YivMBA_ffbH8l8dYoBT_s2liwpaG6QptXA2z0UJGujlBGTrRgSANZrefz5R7CtMYAsjjdzkbEwp9ayUtaLB9yAeXWmniS70UTxjsb5866wdBaHITF1tK0Z3w/s400/IMG_1753.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Listening... </b> to the audiobook <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13062.Skin_Tight">Skin Tight</a></i> by Carl Hiaasen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Reading...</b> blogs and online articles about Acadia National Park, backpacks, and one-bag travel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Watching... </b> <i>Yellowstone</i> on the Paramount network.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Choosing...</b> a new paint color for my hallway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Trying... </b> to be very conscientious of my usage of single-use plastics this month in honor of <a href="https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/">Plastic Free July.</a> I tell ya what, folks, it's a lot harder than it sounds because single-use plastics are all around us and are such a big part of our ordinary daily lives that we often don't give them a second thought. As I write this, I'm staring at the plastic container my strawberries came in. I do really well at refusing straws and taking my own re-usable bags to the grocery, but when it comes to containers like this, I'm not sure what to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Celebrating...</b> my 16th wedding anniversary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Eager...</b> to go to West Virginia for a few days to see my family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Loving... </b> this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhaqbDcTeCmeC8bXZ-1gpMDk_IeeiRFdrIWnjKvkUzBy8h2W1Bj-8MtwRNIZkLfHjWxe4MnFV9YJgZqesSP5HhKaOSP2SLhMaIRz6ZEFTfKusLOQDWwBBICOzsJEDoTH63KcHhfKYcQ/s1600/IMG_1726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhaqbDcTeCmeC8bXZ-1gpMDk_IeeiRFdrIWnjKvkUzBy8h2W1Bj-8MtwRNIZkLfHjWxe4MnFV9YJgZqesSP5HhKaOSP2SLhMaIRz6ZEFTfKusLOQDWwBBICOzsJEDoTH63KcHhfKYcQ/s640/IMG_1726.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Laughing and agreeing... </b> with this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURA_NF8cEDCKmDgFpw9_5i1fHeS8z3jmSQafYkVB0h1FL4QYA-0sM1jmmgNcXg56JQObNfbVc8sFmaLcCymGo176re9lx7tQ_TCgzO2NO6S4NedZ3GF9Ie8b8RWVkA0qGzqUxCCl01g/s1600/IMG_1739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURA_NF8cEDCKmDgFpw9_5i1fHeS8z3jmSQafYkVB0h1FL4QYA-0sM1jmmgNcXg56JQObNfbVc8sFmaLcCymGo176re9lx7tQ_TCgzO2NO6S4NedZ3GF9Ie8b8RWVkA0qGzqUxCCl01g/s400/IMG_1739.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cringing...</b> at the incorrect grammar usage in the above meme... <i>The Walmart's</i>. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lord, have mercy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Recommending... </b> this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>June in a Snapshot:</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CFLJoDKp4gXN3T9yxhE9q1TxxVnODLdUyxjarV21odJD071wgSL9Hn-KFnYmp9Mj7fUt-XNFEplPDyOAtr29lhLmcdzNryVBo3FgBOVIN-00rKoJHxGM3gNHwuvnc91RRBheN9L_aA/s1600/3946AEDD-90A1-441D-A4AF-FBA352901DFF.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CFLJoDKp4gXN3T9yxhE9q1TxxVnODLdUyxjarV21odJD071wgSL9Hn-KFnYmp9Mj7fUt-XNFEplPDyOAtr29lhLmcdzNryVBo3FgBOVIN-00rKoJHxGM3gNHwuvnc91RRBheN9L_aA/s400/3946AEDD-90A1-441D-A4AF-FBA352901DFF.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) Puple in the park, Hamilton!, bamboo rafting on the Martha Brae in Jamaica<br />2) Stingray City (Cayman Islands), starfish beach, exploring Chacchoben <br />Mayan ruins with R and my folks<br />3) Love the blue water of the Caribbean, summer's first chicory, dog-sitting</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What have you been up to lately?</span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-90661103971008581392019-06-28T08:19:00.001-04:002019-06-28T08:19:16.810-04:00My Happy List - What I Enjoyed in June (Vol. 9)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JT1dpDfkasoNVa1yhwihQPjOlAzSMxgR1Sv3nOrfnUaYsPCd13BR-G9rxov05nz80wvFON7ZwLz1UoXYaO_lG-30We83QCy-WNocCRXuRQtEWcfisN4yKmifajMjVSWkPah0qAaxHQ/s1600/My+Happy+List.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="935" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JT1dpDfkasoNVa1yhwihQPjOlAzSMxgR1Sv3nOrfnUaYsPCd13BR-G9rxov05nz80wvFON7ZwLz1UoXYaO_lG-30We83QCy-WNocCRXuRQtEWcfisN4yKmifajMjVSWkPah0qAaxHQ/s640/My+Happy+List.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In keeping with my plan to periodically "c</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">heck-in" and share some of the things that have brought me enjoyment, (</span><a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2019/02/my-word-of-year.html" style="color: #6614ff; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;">ENJOY is my word of the year</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, after all), please allow me to shar</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e a sampling of the things that I enjoyed in June.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>J</b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>une 1</b> - a much needed, 90-minute deep tissue massage.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>3 & 4</b> - the absolutely lovely weather - high 60s/low 70s, sunny, and low humidity - that I was able to take advantage of for two morning walks.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>9</b> - watching the musical <i>Hamilton</i> at the Kentucky Center for the Arts.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>12 </b>- drifting along the <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2019/06/bamboo-rafting-on-martha-brae.html">Martha Brae River in Jamaica</a> on a bamboo raft with R and my folks.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>13</b> - getting to play with a stingray and some starfish off the coast of Grand Cayman.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>14</b> - the talent show as performed by crew members of the MSC Armonia.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>16</b> - hanging out with my parents during our cruise's final day at sea, not doing anything in particular, but just enjoying each other's company.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>19</b> - sighting summer's first chicory in my favorite park.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>25 </b>- running into my former principal and friend while walking at the park.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>26</b> - a long, overdue phone conversation with my friend, S.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Friday and ...</span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-47931563780043138992019-06-25T00:25:00.000-04:002019-06-28T16:00:50.617-04:00Bamboo Rafting on the Martha Brae<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOmQf1Ir0fld3phdcsoAdcdzwUz8lD_HSDJ8DAoHxsOPrXBpQkOgI0jNg-_2ot_gHxYHVOiptlTtL6kjE2qsu0EJuSrprDeyBhvnE742Hoc6wt4PzLn_Ew_qLf3vqEqk5t284vON-wIw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-06-23+at+10.41.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="735" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOmQf1Ir0fld3phdcsoAdcdzwUz8lD_HSDJ8DAoHxsOPrXBpQkOgI0jNg-_2ot_gHxYHVOiptlTtL6kjE2qsu0EJuSrprDeyBhvnE742Hoc6wt4PzLn_Ew_qLf3vqEqk5t284vON-wIw/s640/Screen+Shot+2019-06-23+at+10.41.31+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Back in April, I spent a week at a resort in Runaway Bay along Jamaica's north coast with my best friend. The one time we ventured off the resort, we went to Ocho Rios where we snorkeled and climbed Dunn's River Falls. We, like so many visitors to the island, didn't venture beyond the coast. Earlier this month, I found myself back in Jamaica, this time on a cruise ship stop. Not wanting to duplicate what I had done in April, my husband, my parents, and I decided to explore an area of Jamaica beyond its beaches. Bamboo rafting on the Martha Brae provided the perfect opportunity for just that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Martha Brae is a river in northwestern Jamaica. Located in Trelawny Parish near the town of Falmouth, the river is approximately 20 miles east of the more well known Montego Bay and 40 miles west of popular cruise ship port of Ocho Rios.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During Jamaica's 18th and 19th century plantation era, the river was used for transporting sugar and other crops from the plantations upstream to the port town of Falmouth. From there, the crops were loaded onto ships sailing to Europe. The river no longer serves as a means of transporting crops, but due to its constant flow, it provides water to many local towns and towns in the western part of the island. Even when much of the island is experiencing drought, apparently the Martha Brae continues to flow. The locals say that it never runs dry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are many variations as to how the river got its name. Our tour guide requested that each of us ask our raft captains how the river was named and during our ride back to Ocho Rios, each couple reported what they had been told. Interestingly, none of the explanations were the same. Some were told that Martha Brae was the first and last name of a woman; the raft guide R and I had said that the river was named after a couple - Martha was the wife and Brae was her husband. However, despite all the inconsistencies, there was one constant - that Martha was probably a witch who practiced voodoo. The gist of the legend goes something like this: Spanish settlers were looking for gold on the island and enlisted the help of Martha. She led them to the gold which was located in a cave hidden by the river. Before the Spaniards could collect the gold, Martha used her powers to reverse the flow of the river, trapping the settlers in the process. Some say that she also died as a result.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Raft trips begin at a starting point called Rafter's Village where there are restrooms, an outdoor bar, an herb garden, and a shop or two selling souvenirs. The launch site is a short walk away from the village. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqw13dko727f0jQ9zJUGR_E4O2tCCt55A4hgFpmorrwqlQB5A3eCMAeW9qWwgQdKVLgCZmeBzJmD3MKiR-cHQu_TauPt7fTz1oLn389JHTdKvvT81dq8anMvjfzt80qXT6IU6wcfyzA/s1600/IMG_1465.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqw13dko727f0jQ9zJUGR_E4O2tCCt55A4hgFpmorrwqlQB5A3eCMAeW9qWwgQdKVLgCZmeBzJmD3MKiR-cHQu_TauPt7fTz1oLn389JHTdKvvT81dq8anMvjfzt80qXT6IU6wcfyzA/s640/IMG_1465.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each 30-foot bamboo raft carries two passengers and a raft captain. According to our raft captain, the rafts can weigh upwards of 700 lbs. and typically last 4-5 years. Much to my surprise and delight, the raft R and I shared felt very stable as we boarded and disembarked the craft and throughout the one-hour float. It definitely didn't feel flimsy! Using a bamboo pole, our captain steered and sometimes propelled the raft in the gentle current to Martha's Rest, the ending point 3-miles down the river. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rafting on the Martha Brae has been a popular tourist activity for 40 years. It has been said that such notable celebrities such as Chuck Norris, Queen Elizabeth II, Spike Lee, Kenny Rogers, Patrick Ewing, Johnny Cash, and Usain Bolt have taken raft trips down the green tinted river.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My parents on their raft.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Martha Brae traffic jam.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My excursion down the Martha Brae was very relaxing, tranquil, and quite a dramatic departure from the snorkeling and Dunn's River Falls excursion I had taken in April. R, my parents, and I all enjoyed the peaceful float down the river under the lush, green canopy of trees and I have no reservations recommending this excursion. It provided me with an opportunity to see a part of Jamaica that I hadn't seen before and to interact with some interesting locals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Out of convenience, I booked our excursion through our cruise line, MSC. I'm assuming that most, if not all, cruise lines that port in Jamaica probably offer Martha Brae rafting excursions but I can't say that with 100% certainty. The tour is also available through private shore excursion operators. For more information on this uniquely Jamaican experience, click <a href="https://www.jamaicarafting.com/">here.</a></span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-82237787833837947742019-06-20T11:35:00.000-04:002019-06-20T11:35:52.834-04:00Hiking Among the Hoodoos - A Photo Essay<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During my American Southwest road trip last summer, I spent one morning hiking among the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park. Hoodoos are columns of weathered rock and they are in abundance in this remote national park located in the southwest Utah about 4 hours from Las Vegas, NV.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My aunt, uncle, uncle's brother, and I were up early (this was a recurring theme during the entire trip) and in the park even before the rangers arrived to man the entrance gates. Starting at Sunset Point, we descended into the hoodoos via the Navajo Loop Trail for a closer view of the mysterious rock formations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The trail led us down a series of switchbacks and through a section known as Wall Street, a narrow canyon with high rock walls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />After reaching the canyon floor, we opted to continue along the Queen's Garden Trail instead of finishing the Navajo Loop (which leads back to the canyon rim). This trail is known as the Queen's Garden & Navajo Combination and most hikers (from what I've gathered) do it in that order whereas we did it in reverse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Some of the park's most spectacular formations can be found in Queen's Gardens, including the formation for which the garden is named - Queen Victoria. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />After a final ascent, we arrived back on the canyon rim at Sunrise Point (1/2 mile from Sunset Point, where our hike originated). The Navajo Loop/Queen's Garden Trail is a heavily trafficked, well marked 2.8 mile trail (Sunset Point to Queen's Garden to Sunrise Point back to Sunset Point), that has an elevation change of 623 feet. We didn't encounter many other hikers on the trail until our final ascent to Sunrise Point, where we met a steady, increasing stream of hikers descending into the canyon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One bit of advice - remember, if you descend into the canyon, at the end you must ascend to get out. This is very important to keep in mind, especially when hiking during the summer months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with <a href="http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com/">Random-osity</a></span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-43668661648829990322019-06-07T09:00:00.000-04:002019-06-07T10:39:03.924-04:0050 Before 50<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lawd, have mercy... just typing this post's title just about sent my head into a frenzied spin. Seriously, how in the world can I even be contemplating turning 50 when I'm just... LOL! Wait, that's right. I'm not as young as I think I am. Even though I feel like I'm in my 30s, <u>I'm not.</u> I'm solidly in my mid 40s and at this point - I'm closer to 50 than I am to 40. Even though the big five-oh is still a few years off, it will be here before I know it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm not exactly sure what compelled me to do this. I've seen several bloggers do things like "101 in 1001" and "30 Before 30," but, I had honestly never felt compelled to attempt anything similar until recently. I mean, seriously... 50 Before 50 sounds like such a daunting task, even more so because I'm already halfway through this decade and I don't have a full 10 years to dedicate to the list, but I digress. I definitely believe the untimely passing of my 23 year old stepson last month played a significant part in changing my mind. I know I've been in my head a lot more than usual - you know, contemplating life and loss and dreams and the meaning of it all. As a result, I've really been reassessing my time on Earth and how I wish to spend it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before I get on with my list, here are a few things I need to clarify:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- This is not a "bucket list." My bucket list is something that I've never published (and probably never will) and has things on it that might not be possible for me to do until I retire. Unfortunately, one of the downfalls of being a public school employee is that I can't take vacation whenever I want and that is why some things must wait. Also, some of my bucket list items are expensive and they have to be saved for. I just have to be realistic; I can't afford to do <i>everything</i> right now or even in the next 5 years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Yes, there are things on this list that I've always wanted to do so they do seem bucket list-y, but overall these are just things I want to accomplish before I hit the half-century mark. Trust me, some of them are rather mundane. LOL!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- I will share/post my ongoing progress towards these goals on or around my birthday each year (which is in February). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Items marked with an asterisk* might not, due to health insurance age requirements, be able to be completed until after I turn 50. As long as I have a plan in place to fulfill them by my 50th birthday, I will count them as completed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- If I don't complete all these items, no biggie. I'm a firm believer in the John Lennon quote, "Life happens to you while you're making other plans." Some of the best things that have happened to me so far in my life were not planned and I'm extremely grateful for that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Alright, the clock is ticking. As of today, my 50th birthday is 4 years, 8 months, and 7 days away. Here is my 50 Before 50 list:</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>HOME</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Renovate kitchen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Rejuvenate/redo landscaping in front yard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Landscape around deck</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Massively purge garage</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. Remove miscellaneous items from gated side of house</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. Paint hallway</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7. Paint trim in great room/kitchen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8. Repaint front door</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9. Annually purge clothes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10. Replace shutters on front of house</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11. Thin out and repot giant peace lily</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12. Move to different house/build</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>CREATIVE</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">13. Assemble a shadowbox with art ribbons</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">14. Redo my "Twin Spires Starry Night" painting</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">15. Paint a portrait of my dog</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">16. Paint a picture of the New River Gorge</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">17. Create a new tile mosaic </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>TRAVEL</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">18. Go to the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis (I live 4 hours away and have never been)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">19. Visit a sunflower farm in Kansas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">20. View the moonbow at Cumberland Falls State Park (KY)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">21. Visit the resting place of the 1973 Triple Crown winner, Secretariat (Paris, KY)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">22. Take tour of Waverly Hill Sanitorium (Louisville)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">23. Visit the Ali Center (Louisville)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">24. Visit the Falls of the Ohio State Park (OH)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">25. See the Christmas Story house (Cleveland, OH)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">26. Zipline in Pipestem Sate Park (WV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">27. Visit Coopers Rock State Forest (WV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">28. Take a tour of the Homer Laughlin China Company Factory, the maker of Fiestaware (WV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">29. Visit my 36th state</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">30. Visit my 37th state</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">31. Visit my 38th state</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">32. Visit my 39th state</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">33. Visit my 40th state</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">34. Take a solo trip</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>ATHLETIC</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">35. Complete a mud obstacle course race</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">36. Achieve a sub 3:15 PR in a half marathon (I'm a walker, not a runner)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>HEALTH</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">37. Reach ONEderland </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">38. Get a colonoscopy*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">39. Get the shingles vaccination*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">40. Visit dermatologist annually</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">41. Participate in a Heart Walk sponsored by the American Heart Association</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">42. Participate in a Alzheimer's walk in memory of my grandmother</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>FINANCES</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">43. Reduce credit card debt by at least 70%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">44. Open a new $500 CD each year</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">45. Save $7,500 - 10,000 in travel fund</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>MISCELLANEOUS</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">46. Watch The Sound of Music</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">47. Make a will/living will</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">48. Make annual donation to American Heart Association in my stepson's memory</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">49. Read a banned book during Banned Books Week every year</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">50. Volunteer for something non-school/work related</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with: <a href="http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com/">Random-osity</a></span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-11941583841824559072019-06-06T00:06:00.000-04:002019-06-06T00:06:00.289-04:00Currently... (Vol. 40)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Pissed...</b> about Trump's recent Cuba travel ban, which now prevents cruise ship passengers from going to Cuba. Next week, I'm going on a cruise with my mom and on the 15th and 16th we were <u>supposed</u> to port in Havana. The Trump administration nixed that two days ago. Honestly, the only reason we chose to go on a cruise in the first place was because my mom wanted to see Cuba. Not only am I super pissed, but I'm also indescribably disappointed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Apologizing...</b> for starting my post off in such a negative manner. Sorry, I'm just really aggravated by this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Starting...</b> to chisel away at my summer "to-do" list. So far I've hauled off aluminum cans, donated several bags of stuff to charity, and I just began deep cleaning my kitchen (Lord, give me strength!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Listening...</b> to the audiobook <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38225791-two-can-keep-a-secret">Two Can Keep a Secret</a></i> by Karen McManus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Reading...</b> (yes, like with my eyeballs) <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749186-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before?ac=1&from_search=true">To All the Boys I've Loved Before</a></i> by Jenny Han. I've had a couple of false starts with this book over the past 4-5 months, so hopefully this time will stick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Recommending... </b><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40597810-daisy-jones-the-six">Daisy Jones and The Six</a></i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid. If you like rock music documentaries like VH1's "Behind the Music" back in the 1990s, then you will like this story of this fictional band that is set in the 1970s.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Anxious...</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> </b>to see </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Toy Story 4</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Rocketman</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> later this month.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Participating...</b> in a 154.8 mile <a href="https://yes.fit/races/GreatOceanRoad"><i>virtual</i> <i>race</i></a> along Australia's southern coastline. LOL! Why on earth did I pay money to do a virtual race? Well, I figured it would be a good way of keeping myself motivated this summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Agreeing...</b> with this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Laughing...</b> at this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Adjusting...</b> to what my husband and I are calling our <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2019/05/day-seven-of-my-new-reality.html"><i>new reality</i> </a>after the sudden death of his son last month. This is something we won't get over; instead, it will be something we merely learn to cope with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Remembering and recommending...</b> this:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__rScQRUUAerdhBhi6g-8KtA16o6Jy3Mgu2tDruXdB_CG7jd8LvYdFHOQKmGrP-yD2wRC-dgVOsmhVk63r5gFNpcfWzR-wh7eWP3ISUkLoqi4fauBFZ-aiROMDioJXpN8LHOGL5_Bpg/s1600/C6767C76-B7CB-4B39-B437-0545CD99B41D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__rScQRUUAerdhBhi6g-8KtA16o6Jy3Mgu2tDruXdB_CG7jd8LvYdFHOQKmGrP-yD2wRC-dgVOsmhVk63r5gFNpcfWzR-wh7eWP3ISUkLoqi4fauBFZ-aiROMDioJXpN8LHOGL5_Bpg/s400/C6767C76-B7CB-4B39-B437-0545CD99B41D.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Ka, H, and I at Thurby<br />2) My Kentucky Derby pick, flowers in the park<br />3) My cupcake is my co-pilot (trying to get my cupcake from Teacher Appreciation<br />luncheon home in one piece); hanging out with my stepdaughter's dog, Jax; <br />remembering GA; voting in the Kentucky primary; R napping with Jax.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What have you been up to lately?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with:</span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-2019266151661218302019-05-31T00:31:00.000-04:002019-05-31T09:05:40.685-04:00My Happy List - What I Enjoyed in May (Vol. 8)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In keeping with my plan to periodically "c</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">heck-in" and share some of the things that have brought me enjoyment, (</span><a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2019/02/my-word-of-year.html" style="color: #6614ff; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;">ENJOY is my word of the year</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, after all), please allow me to shar</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">e a sampling of the things that I enjoyed in May.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 2...</b> attending Thurby (the name given to the day of racing at Churchill Downs the Thursday before the Kentucky Derby) with my speech path buddies, Ka and H. We enjoyed the weather, the abundant opportunities for "people watching," being off from work, and being able to spend the day together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>4...</b> spending a quiet day at home, watching the Kentucky Derby on TV, and making bad bets from the comfort of my living room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>9... </b> having dinner with two very dear friends whom I used to work with at my previous school.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>15...</b> the phone conversation with my octogenarian grandparents during my afternoon commute.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>21...</b> dinner with my former carpool buddies on a day when I desperately needed a time-out from life. It was nice just to do something "normal" for a few hours.*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>24...</b> joining my R's siblings for a few hours to listen to a live band and celebrate my brother-in-law's 60th birthday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>29... </b> watching Aladdin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>And, because a friend of mine pointed out that I posted my April Happy List post before the month was "officially" over, here's a bonus item:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>April 27...</b> finishing the KDF Mini Marathon in less time than it took me last year and establishing a new PR.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have a wonderful weekend!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>*I despise cryptic messages, so I'd like to elaborate as to why I needed so do something "normal" on the 21st. Three days before, on May 18, my stepson died of cardiac arrest. He was 23 years old. We are, as one would expect, still adjusting to our new normal.</i></span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-87101855113102743672019-05-24T18:00:00.000-04:002019-05-24T18:00:10.005-04:00Day Seven of My New Reality<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I’ve always believed that life is weird and random and mysterious. There’s no rhyme or reason as to why some things happen and some things don’t. In short, more often than not, life makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.</span> </i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite this belief, there’s a certain natural order that I, along with most people I think, typically expect - we are born, we grow up, we grow old, and then we die. From an early age, we expect grandparents and parents to die before us. That’s the “natural order” that we presume our lives should take. </span> </i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Death, under any circumstance, is hard. The death of a child, however, is often more difficult because it completely disrupts this natural order that we believe in.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My paternal grandparents outlived two of their four children. My grandfather once told me, in a rare moment of emotional expression and vulnerability, when my uncle and aunt died, that he lost a part of himself.</span> </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yesterday, my husband's 23 year old son died. Yesterday, R lost a part of himself.</span> </i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Right now, life make absolutely no sense whatsoever.</span> </i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The upcoming days will bring rolling waves of emotion and an endless array of questions that probably have no answers. Our lives are forever changed."</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My stepson died on Saturday, May 18, 2019. On the day after his passing, I posted the above statement on Facebook. It came a day after my husband woke me in the early morning hours to tell me that his son had apparently collapsed in the house he shared with 3 friends and was found unresponsive by one of his roommates. Despite the best efforts of first responders, he was unable to be revived. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This time last week, neither my husband or I had any idea that our lives would be so drastically and permanently changed within 7 hours. We had no idea that when the sun set that evening, it would be the last sunset his son would ever see. Whoever coined the phrase "life turns on dime" was absolutely right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today is day seven of what R and I are calling "our new reality." During the past seven days, we have survived the initial shock, made the necessary arrangements, attended the services, and said our goodbyes. We have taken GA as far as we can take him; where he has gone, we cannot follow.</span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-25492936561239603542019-05-16T00:16:00.000-04:002019-05-16T20:12:34.192-04:00Why the Week After a Half Marathon is Always Weird<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the last Saturday in April, I walked my third half marathon and I beat the time it took me to complete the same half marathon ten years earlier (at the age of 35) by 20 minutes. I also shaved 4 minutes off my time from last year and established a new PR! In the moments after I crossed the finish line and for the next 48 hours or so, I was absolutely elated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You see, it was an accomplishment I wasn't sure I would be able to attain this year. The overly rainy winter made it difficult to get in all my training walks and coming down with food poisoning (or whatever it was) knocked me out of commission for two weeks in early April. In the week leading up to the race, I admit that I didn't feel ready and I seriously doubted I'd be able to beat last year's time (my only goal). Once I crossed the finish line and realized that I had beaten my time, I was so overcome by emotion that I cried. I rode that accomplishment high for the next two days. Then, just as I had anticipated, three days later the post race blues hit. The week after a half marathon, for me at least, has always been weird.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Luckily, I knew to anticipate this weirdness because that wasn't, as they say, my first rodeo. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 2009, after my first half marathon, the post race blues hit me hard. For</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> that race, I had overcome numerous obstacles ranging from plantar fasciitis to shin splints to lower back issues caused by an auto accident. Start to finish, I invested 16 months of my life to a road race that took me less than 4 hours to finish. I was so happy when I crossed the finish line and I felt so proud of myself for having pushed through all the difficult challenges I faced to see that endeavor through to the end. But, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">considering all the time, effort, money, sweat, and tears that I put into that half marathon, I truly expected the euphoric feeling to last longer than it did. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Within a few days, my life had returned to normal and I realized that despite everything I had sacrificed, that nothing had really changed, with the exception that I felt directionless and that walking had lost all its appeal. Seriously, I didn't walk again for exercise until 2016 - 7 years later. I burned myself out that badly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've always heard that the higher your emotions soar on the day of an achievement or the more consumed your are towards the attainment of a goal - be it a race or graduation or whatever - the lower you feel afterward. That's exactly what happened to me. The sudden shift from months and months of training and having such an intense focus on the goal to everyday real life left me feeling more let down than I had ever known. The best way I can describe it is like zipping along the intestate going about 80 or 90 mph for hours and </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">then suddenly slamming on the brakes, bringing the car to a complete halt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I opted to participate in the same half marathon in 2018, my approach was completely different. Instead of being so consumed by the attainment of the goal, I simply focused on enjoying the journey. Also, my motivation had changed. I had two motivating factors - one, to do it with my friend who is a breast cancer survivor and two, to simply better my physical well being. The overall experience was so different from my first, I actually enjoyed it and it didn't consume me. But, even despite this, I still felt a little let down the week following the race. From January to the end of April</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, a significant portion of my life had been spent preparing for that race - and I'm not just talking about the training schedule and actual walking. In addition to pounding the pavement, I spent a lot of time looking at weather reports, planning my walks around the weather, sometimes rearranging other life and work obligations in order to get in my walks, and planning what I would would wear in various elements I encountered. Even though I wasn't hard-core in my training, the KDF Mini Marathon shaped what I did nearly every single day. Once it was over, there was a palpable void in my life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Knowing that these weird, post race blues are inevitable, here are some things I did this year to combat the weirdness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, I gave myself permission to feel what I was feeling and not to beat myself up about it. A simple Google search brings up dozens and dozens of articles and blogs that touch on the subject of post race blues. This feeling is more common than one might think. It helped knowing that I wasn't alone in what I was feeling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, I made plans to attend Churchill Downs for a day of horse racing with friends during the week after the half marathon. It was nice to have something, even if it was just a small, single day event, to look forward to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third, I set my sights on my next challenge - a mud obstacle course run in September. Although I will still utilize my walking for my cardio training, I have to diversify my workouts to include upper body strength. Switching it up has been a nice change of pace and I do enjoy having something to work towards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I fully expect to have another weird week after I complete the Rugged Maniac in late summer. Thankfully, I know how to deal with the weirdness and know that the weirdness won't last forever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you experienced any kind of post-event blues? How did you cope with feeling down?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Photo Credit: Bui Huy via Pexels</i></span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-71838353307514816622019-05-08T00:08:00.000-04:002019-05-08T00:08:04.692-04:00Heaven and Earth - Wordless Wednesday (Vol. 44)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzdKQ3-KW41P22uXnQJEfbq57u9XGvUQfGCwsRCKxAdJLp_TISuQYd-5nxTUI6RnPtFf8cRbj9RbUeyOjj1SJ0NJzwrjfo_wfBkqcFXYfcciFJ_DIK9AUTB8mocH3ycqOhJCwxU-UdQ/s1600/IMG_0888.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzdKQ3-KW41P22uXnQJEfbq57u9XGvUQfGCwsRCKxAdJLp_TISuQYd-5nxTUI6RnPtFf8cRbj9RbUeyOjj1SJ0NJzwrjfo_wfBkqcFXYfcciFJ_DIK9AUTB8mocH3ycqOhJCwxU-UdQ/s640/IMG_0888.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"I couldn't tell where the heavens stopped and Earth began. It was so beautiful." - Forrest Gump</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Linking up with:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://wordlesswednesday.blogspot.com/">Wordless Wednesday</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bethere2day.com/">bethere2day</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/">Imagine-in-ing</a></span></div>
<br />Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-82823201294613145132019-05-02T00:02:00.000-04:002019-05-02T08:41:02.957-04:00Currently... (Vol. 39)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0m-V07qLEmdCuG_1B_pid75ge_sPJxWOCTGQJI_PtnCFuzW1bsbC-7H697k_W8Mo12sAF_at_-e9iSQlhjepFow7Rjp7VVe0BwEkSWbgcf_z-hiF3Bn4OfyeU97CR4S6CqVo_WEqOvA/s1600/currently+spring16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0m-V07qLEmdCuG_1B_pid75ge_sPJxWOCTGQJI_PtnCFuzW1bsbC-7H697k_W8Mo12sAF_at_-e9iSQlhjepFow7Rjp7VVe0BwEkSWbgcf_z-hiF3Bn4OfyeU97CR4S6CqVo_WEqOvA/s640/currently+spring16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Attending..</b>. <a href="https://www.kentuckyderby.com/visit/derby-week/thurby">Thurby</a>, as I have every year for the past 4 years with my speech path buddies Ka and H. This will more than likely be our last Thurby, though, because the event's popularity has driven up ticket prices and has made getting covered, grandstand seats harder to get. We will probably just alter our tradition a bit and go to Churchill Downs on the Wednesday of Derby week next year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Crossing...</b> my fingers that the rain holds off until later this evening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Feeling...</b> accomplished. I completed the KDF Mini Marathon this past weekend as a walker and I beat my PR from last year by 4 minutes! <i>I was very uncertain if I would be able to beat my time because of the gastro sickness that knocked me out of commission for two weeks earlier last month, but I did!</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJ8bVs5UMAsOmkCHHHfUCtJ1wFKDBzy3MxBwKw2dKENZXBJWjs7GVEGd-yfVOkjuVcew_1vckqyHfnPOl1qIp0xyE3FUlXFb_1jR9_l9cMDef5UA5DH8nzQlhz-gaOq54hcdSTO5I4g/s1600/IMG_1220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="695" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJ8bVs5UMAsOmkCHHHfUCtJ1wFKDBzy3MxBwKw2dKENZXBJWjs7GVEGd-yfVOkjuVcew_1vckqyHfnPOl1qIp0xyE3FUlXFb_1jR9_l9cMDef5UA5DH8nzQlhz-gaOq54hcdSTO5I4g/s400/IMG_1220.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Doctoring...</b> two very sore toenails that are an interesting shade of purply-red at the moment. I suspect they will turn black eventually. <i>Oh, the joys of walking/running long distances.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Counting...</b> down the days until the end of school - 15, not including today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ready...</b> for all the end of the school year craziness - paperwork out the wazoo, endless amounts of filing, state assessments... <i>Bring it!</i> LOL!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Preparing...</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to pack up my therapy stuff and belongings at work. It looks like I'll be in a different room next year.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><strike>Reading</strike> Listening...</b> to nothing at the moment. <i>Whomp, whomp. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ready...</b> to clean off the deck and spend some quality time sitting outside. My beagle, Rascal, is ready for some quality deck sitting time, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Shopping...</b> for new bedsheets. The ones I have aren't deep enough to stay on my new mattress very well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Laughing...</b> at this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctwpb0EPaRUtP5NIwOcF21pCWumtOWIMg_gzfP8WF8Nb_uIl9AmSKZl9luWy6PDn6FiTSWhSbM2INu2Or1eD6G1j5J3tJSONX_YCfHzHHlj-b2pZR4gdLSE3b5cOJEFFyegfaPSa6VA/s1600/IMG_0729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="480" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctwpb0EPaRUtP5NIwOcF21pCWumtOWIMg_gzfP8WF8Nb_uIl9AmSKZl9luWy6PDn6FiTSWhSbM2INu2Or1eD6G1j5J3tJSONX_YCfHzHHlj-b2pZR4gdLSE3b5cOJEFFyegfaPSa6VA/s400/IMG_0729.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Agreeing...</b> with this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22ftdHrvIqxTKD9tMigJoQPWtKwBnOb93ofYf3ZajeISrxk03apWMYmtFj22YaPlzrygSTFtS1mjBdIyTu2PfBYz4N9LEvPTWv5nRPmLLXGIdP3ugaH-g0R8H2xmlhHEndL624UwODg/s1600/IMG_0670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="950" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22ftdHrvIqxTKD9tMigJoQPWtKwBnOb93ofYf3ZajeISrxk03apWMYmtFj22YaPlzrygSTFtS1mjBdIyTu2PfBYz4N9LEvPTWv5nRPmLLXGIdP3ugaH-g0R8H2xmlhHEndL624UwODg/s400/IMG_0670.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4StaXl6tOf9bwgHGX2yi3q_e85FO6PLdyWnJPcp3ffPtU0aYj1RF7g8f6Js6hHoZ-reetejlMAeRiHY_U1XJjYSYBOMX6AVBJVQ-KgsjRXOQuCyNmwl3mt1Fs-ZbseihjS9BMPz-aA/s1600/D4745700-0428-4E28-BECE-B12A04DD5288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4StaXl6tOf9bwgHGX2yi3q_e85FO6PLdyWnJPcp3ffPtU0aYj1RF7g8f6Js6hHoZ-reetejlMAeRiHY_U1XJjYSYBOMX6AVBJVQ-KgsjRXOQuCyNmwl3mt1Fs-ZbseihjS9BMPz-aA/s640/D4745700-0428-4E28-BECE-B12A04DD5288.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1) View of the Bahamas from 38,000 feet, snorkeling with C in Ocho Rios,<br />
my default drink after getting sick in Jamaica.<br />
2) Kayaking in Jamaica, sunrise as viewed from my school, colors of spring.<br />
3) Flowering dogwood, my friend D and I before the KDF Mini Marathon,<br />
the horse that won me $40 on opening night.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What have you been up to lately?</span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-29488964651090334002019-04-30T00:30:00.000-04:002019-04-30T00:30:04.732-04:00Being a Half Marathon Walker in a Runner's World<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhyphenhyphenY7-c1He0x1Jc2lJSoLveza2E6XBV0g_2eV7uiVeMWFbgYfK35LEkdusqSepAc2Ag2JZYzYgQip6TulAa03XCmvDn-BXLTN6CoAqx_O_EZV0N2XTxVhk-pBvUlKQDrRiFVIc5JqzA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-04-28+at+12.00.13+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="597" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhyphenhyphenY7-c1He0x1Jc2lJSoLveza2E6XBV0g_2eV7uiVeMWFbgYfK35LEkdusqSepAc2Ag2JZYzYgQip6TulAa03XCmvDn-BXLTN6CoAqx_O_EZV0N2XTxVhk-pBvUlKQDrRiFVIc5JqzA/s640/Screen+Shot+2019-04-28+at+12.00.13+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ten years ago, I completed my first half marathon. There were about 7 or 8 of us from work who completed the 13.1 mile course that year and I was the only walker. On the following Monday we all wore our Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon t-shirts to work. Even though t-shirts weren't a normal part of our dress code, we figured that we had earned that one, small bragging right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometime during the day, a coworker came up to me and congratulated me on finishing "the Mini," as we here in the Louisville Metro area call it. After I thanked her, she followed up with "I didn't know you were a runner," to which I replied, "I'm not. I'm a walker."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I kid you not, but I visibly witnessed the enthusiasm and admiration drain from her face as she comprehended my words. She actually had the nerve to then say to me, "I don't think walkers should be allowed to participate in half marathons because they don't run in them."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was stunned - stunned - and for a few seconds, I had no words. Then I got mad, mad because how dare she try to negate my accomplishment. Walk, run, skip, hop, jog, or roll in a wheelchair, <u>anyone</u> who completes a half marathon has the right to feel accomplished. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I then said something to this effect - "I trained just like a runner for the Mini. I put in the same distance week in and week out since January. On Saturday, I crossed the same starting line, crossed the same finish line, and I covered the same distance as any runner - it just took me longer. There are no rules against walkers participating, so I'm not sure what your issue is."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She then said, "Well, anyone can walk 13 miles..." I blinked, put a smirk on my face and replied, "Then where's your Mini Marathon t-shirt?" and walked away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'd love to tell you that incident was an isolated occurrence, but it wasn't. Granted, it was probably the worst as it was the most confrontational, but it wasn't the last. In the decade since that first half marathon, I've completed two more and no one has ever been that rude to my face. But, I've seen that visible drop in enthusiasm on so many faces over the years t</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hat I've now come to expect it. Here's a typical scenario:</span></div>
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<i>Person X: "What are you doing this weekend?<br /> Me: "On Saturday, I'm doing the Mini Marathon."<br />Person X: "Wow! I didn't know you were a runner!"<br />Me: "I'm not. I'm a walker; I'm walking it."<br />Person X: "Oh..."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or the past tense version </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(once people have discovered that I completed the race):</span></span></div>
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<i>Person X: "You ran the Mini?"<br />Me: "No, I walked it."<br />Person X: "Oh..."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've learned that short little "Oh..." at the end of the exchange is more than likely masking a thought similar to</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, <i>"Big deal, I can do that," </i>to which I'm silently responding, <i>"Then why don't you?"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here's what I don't understand - why would anyone feel so strongly against people who, like myself, walk in half marathons instead of run? I mean, seriously, who cares? And for the record, on Saturday during during my third Mini, I passed several joggers who were jogging at a slower pace than I was walking. But, I digress... We walkers are not taking anything away from anyone. Everyone who crosses the finish line will get a finisher's medal. The KDF Mini Marathon and Marathon caps the number of participants at 18,000. Over the weekend, 1,497 people completed the Marathon and 8,138 finished the Mini Marathon. That means less that 60% of the slots were filled this year. Obviously, there's plenty of room for anyone who wants to participate in the race. There's enough room to accommodate the joggers, the elite runners, the walk-joggers, the wheelchair athletes, the bucket-listers, and the walkers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There's plenty of room for all of us to be the best marathon and half marathoners we can be. </span><br />
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-3262874157143682332019-04-26T00:26:00.000-04:002019-04-26T00:26:07.516-04:00My Happy List - What I Enjoyed in April (Vol. 7)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In keeping with my plan to periodically "check-in" and share some of the things that have brought me enjoyment, (<a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2019/02/my-word-of-year.html" style="color: #6614ff; text-decoration: none;">ENJOY is my word of the year</a>, after all), please allow me to share a sampling of the things that I enjoyed in April.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I enjoyed...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 1...</b> drinking fruity drinks in the open air lobby of the Luxury Grand Bahia Principe in Runaway Bay, Jamaica with my best friend celebrating our 45th birthdays. <i>*This, unfortunately, was the only night I was able to enjoy fruity adult beverages while in Jamaica because the next morning I came down with some sort of gastro-intestinal sickness.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 3... </b> snorkeling (and feeling well enough to snorkel) in Ocho Rios.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 6...</b> watching the sun set on our last day in Jamaica.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 13...</b> seeing how Spring had sprung in the two weeks since I had last visited my favorite park. I loved seeing all the eastern redbuds in bloom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 20...</b> watching <i>The Ten Commandments, </i>my Easter weekend tradition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 21...</b> celebrating Easter with R's family and being able to spend much of the day outside enjoying the fabulous weather.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 23...</b> the small Oreo Blizzard I treated myself to for no particular reason at all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 24...</b> the long, overdue phone conversation with my "brother from another mother," B. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>April 25...</b> running into a former co-worker and good friend, D, at the KDF Race Expo/Packet Pick-up. It was good to see her and catch up a little bit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have a wonderful weekend!</span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-39972890186354755202019-04-24T00:24:00.000-04:002019-04-24T00:24:05.445-04:00Memories of Notre Dame - Wordless Wednesday (Vol. 43)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had the privilege of visiting Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in the summer of 2009 while chaperoning 30-some teenagers on a whirlwind tour of Ireland, Wales, England, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Although my memories of the visit are somewhat cloudy, I'm very thankful that these pictures exist to document my visit and that I was able to see it in the first place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://wordlesswednesday.blogspot.com/">Wordless Wednesday</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bethere2day.com/">bethere2day</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/">Imagine-in-ing</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com/">Random-osity</a></span></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938017709366022158.post-67698751222091801662019-04-23T00:23:00.000-04:002019-04-23T00:23:02.657-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: The First Ten Books I Reviewed As a Blogger<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I began blogging nearly four years ago (which absolutely blows my mind, by the way), my blog started out mainly as a book/reading blog. Over the course of time, however, my writing has branched out and my posts have touched on numerous topics. But, like I said, that's primarily what I blogged about in my early days as blogger, so much so that the first ten books I ever reviewed as a blogger were all within my first three months! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I no longer do single entry book reviews like I used to; I now typically review all the books I've read or listened to the previous month during my monthly "Recently Read" post. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Without further ado, here are the First 10 Books I Reviewed As a Blogger:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/07/before-i-fall-review.html">Before I Fall</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by Lauren Oliver (reviewed July 3, 2015).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-man-called-ove-review.html">A Man Called Ove</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by Fredrik Backman (reviewed July 8, 2015)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-unlikely-pilgrimage-of-harold-fry.html">The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by Rachel Joyce (reviewed July 11, 2015)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-river-is-dark-review.html">The River is Dark</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by Joe Hart (reviewed July 17, 2015)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/07/grey-review.html">Grey</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by E. L. James (reviewed July 18, 2015)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/07/me-talk-pretty-one-day-review.html">Me Talk Pretty One Day</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by David Sedaris (reviewed July 20, 2015)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/07/all-light-we-cannot-see-review.html">All the Light We Cannot See</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by Anthony Doerr (reviewed July 28, 2015)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-mother-was-nuts-review.html">My Mother Was Nuts</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by Penny Marshall (reviewed August 4, 2015)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/08/sweet-review.html">Sweet</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by Tammara Webber (reviewed August 13, 2015)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>10. <a href="https://edb214.blogspot.com/2015/08/reconstructing-amelia-review.html">Reconstructing Amelia</a></i> by Kimberly McCreight (reviewed August 14, 2015)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">*Clicking on the book title will take you to my review of that book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts on them? Thanks for stopping by!</span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "quattrocento sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to </span><a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" style="border: 0px; font-family: "quattrocento sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That Artsy Reader Girl</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "quattrocento sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. </span></i></div>
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Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11041608167418967580noreply@blogger.com18