So where were we?  Today’s prompt:  A picture of something you love.

Well that one is easy.  I’m just going to have to say the opposite of something I hate: yup – it’s nature.

While I do love the natural world, there are several things within that realm that are more of my “favorites”:

1) The smell of fresh-cut grass; laying in a field of green grass under the summer sun.  When I go home, the first thing I do as I turn onto the back country roads is to roll down my windows and take in the smells of summer.  I love the sweet smells of fresh-cut grass and hay – the intoxicating smells that have a way of flashing memory after memory in my mind.  And when you can find a patch of grass, especially if it’s remote and untouched by the chaos and hubbub of the “real world”, it is pure bliss to just enjoy the ways that the natural world feels and sounds as it envelopes you.

2)  Clear, crisp nights where you can watch the night sky, uninterrupted by lights, clouds, or any other distraction.  I really wish I had a picture from home of how beautiful the night sky can be at times.  I love looking up at the sky and the feelings of vastness that wash over me.  It may sound odd, but it almost seems as if it puts me in check – we are so small, so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.  All the little things that I worry about seem to melt away when I lay back and take in the beauty of the night sky.

3)  Owls.  I don’t know what it is, but I love them.  Especially barn owls.  There is something mysterious about them – perhaps the way they look so innocent and docile, and yet they are fierce predators.  Maybe because I saw Labyrinth too much in my youth (David Bowie becoming an owl…whoa), but their presence can be haunting at times.  I also am a fan of the Greek goddess, Athena (goddess of wisdom, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, female arts, crafts, justice and skill), and her right hand pal is, you guessed it, a barn owl.

4) The fact that nature will prevail.  Even if we don’t.  At the end of the documentary The 11th Hour, Faithkeeper of the Onondaga and Seneca Nations, Oren Lyons, stated what I feel sums up the argument pretty nicely:

“What if we choose to eradicate ourselves from this Earth, by whatever means?  The Earth goes nowhere.  And in time, it will regenerate, and all the lakes will be pristine.  The rivers, the waters, the mountains, everything will be green again.  It’ll be peaceful.  There may not be people, but the Earth will regenerate.  And you know why? – Because the Earth has all the time in the world and we don’t.  So I think that’s where we’re at, right now.”

So there it is.  These are just several reasons why I feel such an affinity for all things natural, and why I have chosen a career path that works to better a future where our world is less caustic, and where we embrace what was here before us, rather than trying to assert our dominance over it.

 We kid ourselves into thinking that after a catastrophic event, time will heal everything.  And we believe those when they tell us that they are doing everything to better the environment.  Green-washing at its best.  (Oh this makes me so mad.)  We can’t continue to create these situations and expect life to carry on as usual.

There are people out there that are trying to debunk scientific evidence and deregulate agencies that are simply trying to protect the environment (it’s called the EPA for a reason), and I honestly don’t know how those individuals can sleep at night.  The push to disprove global climate change is really mind-boggling.  And now they are evening funding public and private colleges and universities.  Just fantastic.  I just feel that all of this time and energy should be focused on moving the country forward in sustainability, not in simply trying to keep us rooted in the now – in a society where our consumption habits are anything but sustainable.

But there needs to be a light at the end of the tunnel – right?!  I can drive myself crazy with all of the negativity and I really don’t want to do that.  So I will just turn to little glimpses of hope in ways that we can continue to move forward.  While this commercial can be argued just another example of greenwashing, I do have a soft spot for the polar bear’s plight.  So yes, I do hate the defiling of our planet, but I can hope that we will soon start to focus our energy on ideas that can move us towards a greener, more sustainable future.  Here’s to you, Mr. Polar Bear.

This one is a lot of fun because I am a good person (I swear!), however, there are times when you join forces with another and havoc ensues (yes, I’m talking about you, Mr. Seth Palmer and Mizz O’Connor Thomas).  But there is another that I wanted to include because as I look back over my life, I realize that it is with one in particular where mayhem seemed/seems to follow – and that would be my little brother, one Kenneth Clark.

Here we are – circa 1991, each doing what we did best at the time -Ken sucking on those fingers, and me looking hip with my coke-bottle glasses and baby doll.  And of course we are sitting in a dried-up creek bed.  I love it.

Anyway, Ken and I haven’t always gotten along, believe it or not.  But as Mom used to say to me, “he’s the only brother you’re ever going to have, so learn to love him.”

I mean, we had the spats and the tiffs – and we each have a few scars to show from it, but overall, I think we’ve turned out all right.  I still love reminiscing with him about our fights.  He’d really piss me off, and I’d just muster up those fake tears and yell, “Dad!  He hit me in my good eye!”  And then the bellowing voice of Blane: “Kenneth, get in here!”  Ken would sulk into the den, me skipping behind – but of course, looking wounded enough when in sight of Dad.  Ken’s punishment would be to sit and watch the History Channel or Discovery Channel special that was on.  I’d sit on the opposite couch, content in my accomplishments (Man, I was a little bitch, wasn’t I?).  But Ken wasn’t completely innocent either.  Living in a neighborhood with no other girls my age, I often had to tag along with Ken and his friends.  There were plenty of adventures where I got hit with something as we would get into fights out in the woods or by the creek (I still remember that rock to the ear, god dammit).

But enough about our spats.  We really have had a lot of fun, no matter what we were up to.  From our fort building of yesteryear to our drunken adventures of today, I wouldn’t give up any of it.  He really has been the best little brother anyone could ask for, and I always look forward to when we are both home in Bainbridge.  So here’s to you, little brother – may the jokes continue to fly and the good times roll.  Love ya!

On our trip to Rehoboth. I was so damn tired, and he just wanted to joke around, ha.

Our first Packer game. Having to defend the Green and Gold versus those Pats fans surrounding us at Gillete Stadium was an adventure all in itself.

Here we are in sunny Colorado (May 2008), one of the many family trips we have embarked on.  The mountain climbing and exploration on this trip were intensified by the raised elevation and sheer beauty that Colorado had to offer.  I had just graduated undergrad and it was a week spent with family, friends, and the sunny weather of a state where overall well-being are second nature.  I have never seen more bike-lanes and fitness-minded people, and it was just fantastic.  Everything from snow-covered peaks to rain-soaked irises, this trip was a nature-lovers haven – and may be why it ranks right up there as one of my top vacay’s.

But back to the issue of getting me through the most.  This last month or so has been pretty trying – the whole breaking up and finding a new apartment while trying to get through the daily fiascos at work thing has really taken its toll on my mental and emotional state, but I know that there are several people in my life that will provide me with the sanity and inspiration to get through it all.  My parents have not been judgmental or harsh in the least and have provided me with stability when it has felt like the rest of my life is coming crashing down.  (Do I get the drama queen award yet?  In all seriousness though, I don’t mean to sound over-dramatic, it just has felt that way at times).  And of course, the brother has a way of cheering me up.  Thanks for letting me tag along, Ken

But I do just need to get a thing or two off of my chest.  Have you ever felt as if your life is headed in a certain direction and then BAM! you get a swift kick in the face (and/or ass) and suddenly you are left feeling like you have no idea where you are headed next?  Life sure has a funny way of completely throwing you for a loop.  I am over the initial shock now and it feels good to vent about it on here, but knowing that I have family just a phone call away makes getting through the icky situations oh so much better.  I have been truly lucky in my life to have the friends and family that I do and as I move forward in life, the uncertainty of what lies ahead is a bit frightening, but I am excited and anxious for where the path may lead.  So bring it on, Life.  Bring it on.

It is a place that has a magic all of its own and is somewhere that I would never object to ending up.  There is a scene from the film The Green Mile in which the character of Arlen Bitterbuck describes his version of heaven to Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks’ character):
“Do you believe that if a man repents enough for what he done wrong, than he’ll get to go back to the time that was happiest for him and live there forever? Could that be what heaven’s like?”

While not exactly the same thing, I do believe in what Arlen’s character is describing.  I do hope that the afterlife, if there is one, involves the replaying of the happiest moments of my life.  And my time spent in Eire would rank right up there as where I’d like my eternal ever-after to be rehashed.  Ireland is near and dear to my heart and as I hear the Irish pipes belting away on the radio these days, my heart aches a bit for the rolling hills and music-filled pubs that await me across the pond.

But alas, as St. Patty’s Day does draw near, so do the god-awful stereotypes and unfortunate misconceptions.  So please excuse me as I vent and bitch about said delusions:

• The Irish are not all gingers.  In fact, Scotland has the highest proportion of redheads within their population at 13% whereas Ireland is only at 10%.  So please, stop with the tacky red wigs and ginger jokes.
• The population of Ireland does include more than just old men in paddy caps and young redheaded children.  For the redheaded reference, please see above.
• While they do like the drink, they do not start drinking at breakfast, be it Guinness, Jameson, or what have you.
• There are more popular names than Paddy and Mary.  In fact, in 2008, the most popular names were Jack and Ava.
• Ireland is not a country stuck in 1892.  There are complex highway systems and important business capitols throughout the country.  While there are still sections that are more rural and picturesque, the country as a whole is very modern and yes, even fashion-forward…or at least savvy.

And what even gets me more upset is what happened here in Albany over the weekend.  I really wasn’t going to write about this topic before Saturday.  I told myself to just cool it and let it go.  But then this happened in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 12th:

More videos available here.

What really pisses me off about this whole thing is that those idiots were smashing others’ cars and looking/acting like complete tools, costing the city of Albany more than $12,000 in damages, and doing it all in the name of St. Patrick’s Day.  Really?!  What the hell.  I spent many a night and early morning in Ireland having a fantastic time, and I even celebrated St. Patty’s Day on the soils of the Emerald Isle and I can say with 100% conviction that never did I see the level of sheer disregard and complete foolishness that I saw in those videos of Saturday.  The mob-mentality that circulated among the inebriated in the streets of Albany is far from anything I witnessed abroad.  So while yes, I do love to celebrate, have a good time and wear green come mid-March, can we please stop with the ridiculous misconceptions?  I’m sure the country of Ireland would not be proud to attach its name to anything as ugly as this past weekend.  So stop this nonsense.  You look like a feckin idiot.

This picture is from a night out with friends on a weekend trip to Buffalo.  It was a trip that I will always remember, with a group of friends that I know will be there through it all.  While a few faces do seem to be missing (I believe Shanna was taking the picture, and several others couldn’t make the trip), the picture embodies my years of undergrad where I knew that no matter what the problem, what the situation, I could always turn to these wonderful faces.

Ok, so besides the obvious sappy-ness of the above statements, this night out on the town is one that will be infamous in my mind for as long as I am sane.  First off, Brad’s love for Tully’s and their chicken wings makes me laugh just thinking about it.  The fact that we literally inhaled our food once it was served demonstrated that Brad’s love is/was more than legit.  There was a little alcohol mixed in (but not for those driving!), and a some sassy-ness as well as a few things left behind in Tully’s parking lot.  Mix-in Shanna’s driving skills that had I been more aware of what was happening, I may have had a heart attack (Yes, red lights do mean stop), and the fact that we hadn’t seen each other in over a year, and you’ve got a splendid night out on the town/city of Buffalo.

This is a much better pic of us all – hats off to the Tully’s waitress that snapped this one.

Everything about the picture just makes me grin.  I think the fantastic day that followed adds to the memory.  We spent an entire day exploring the natural beauty of Niagara – the Falls themselves, the Maid of the Mist, the Cave of the Winds (with our free sandals and ponchos to match), the aquarium – it was a fantastic day.  The fact that it was the last possible day to explore all of these things (they were closing for the winter season) made it that much better.  We were wondering around like a bunch of little kids, relishing in the fact that we were once again in each other’s company.

So no matter how crappy my day may have been or if I just need an instant pick-me-up, all I need to do is look at these pics and like magic, an instant laugh out loud.

That’s right.  It’s my Pooh bear.  According to his very-worn tag, this sucker is the Sears version of Pooh circa 1985.  He has come to resemble a pug of sorts, as his snout has become molded into his head (it’s from all the huggin!), and the portions of his arms that his sleeves cover have become cinched by years of wearing this one and only shirt (I thoroughly enjoy that his shift has to identify him, as if we wouldn’t know that a portly yellow bear wearing a red belly-shirt is Pooh).  He has been through the wash far more times than I can count and this guy has been with me everywhere – vacations, sleep-overs, summer camps.  In fact, he is quite the world traveler.  When I went to Mexico in 8th grade – I made sure to leave room for him in the suitcase; Canada a few years later – Pooh was there; Ireland for the semester- Pooh, check.

I honestly can’t remember my life without him.  He was a gift when I was born and be it in pictures that I’ve seen or just through memories, he was always there.  Seeing him each day reminds me of so many events in my life and all of the things that I hold near and dear to my heart.  First and foremost, family means everything to me.  And Mr. Pooh-bear is the perfect symbol of all the happy times from my childhood.  One home video that my mom loves is from the birthday dinner of my little brother, Ken.  He opens up a present and it is his very own Pooh-bear.  He was either 2 or 3, and I was sitting next to him with my Pooh.  He looks at me and then back to his new toy, pointing and says, “Your Pooh, my Pooh!”  That memory is a perfect example of how this stuffed bear epitomizes everything that I treasure in my life.  So Mr. Pooh-bear, here’s to you and knowing that no matter where I am, when I’ve got you along for the journey, I’ve also got a piece of home.

Everything about this scene captivates me from the beginning.  The piano accompaniment starts off quietly, tantalizing the ears as it has for the entire film and gradually, the sounds of the early-morning birds awaking mix so well together that it is just captivating right from the start.  As the sun starts to rise, the sheer beauty of the natural surroundings come to light and my heart almost aches from the beauty of it all.

(This version does not do the scene justice, but it was the best I could find on youtube.)  As Darcy emerges through the early morning fog and dew, as a viewer I thought that the morning – that that scene – could not get any better.  And yet, it does.  Darcy proclaims:
“If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.”
Sweet lord, Mr. Darcy, you have got it all.

Elizabeth Bennet is one of my favorite characters in literature, and I love Keira Knightly’s portrayal of her in this version of the classic.  The entire film is visually quite stunning and the music that accompanies it is just as breath-taking.  I love this time period – the fashion, the simplicity of life, the connection to the natural world – I really think that I was born in the wrong century and on the wrong continent.  This story is fantastic in my view, and I really would love just one day in the shoes of the heroine.

(Here is some of the music, just because I can’t get enough)

While these memories of family camaraderie are pretty great, there was a time in the recent past where I was home for something that I will remember for always and the after-events were just as great.  And that memory was when Emma (my yellow lab) had her second litter of puppies.  I had been at school when she had her first litter, and to be home and to help her through this second birthing experience was, well, a little gross, but still something I can categorize as a favorite memory.

The ensuing days/weeks were just as great.  The puppies were so helpless those first couple of days, but they were just precious.  They cooed like human babies and Emma’s mothering instinct instantly kicked in – something really amazing to witness.  You could tell when she was counting her pups to make sure they were all there and she would lay there, making sure they were each fed – such a good mama.

The entire 8 weeks leading up to their departure were ones of puppy-bliss.  When they started to explore and run around like crazies, nipping and biting, barking and whining with each other – just the best.  I couldn’t get enough of them.  Those dogs were the cutest things going, and while they are all scattered around in new homes now, they will each hold a special place in my heart.  I saw them enter the world and that memory alone is more than I can ever express through words and pictures.

endless laughs with friends throughout my collegiate career:

and countless others.  But if I do have to choose one night from my past that I could title my “favorite” I can think of one that while it was one of the best nights of my life, it was also one of the saddest.  It was my last night in Ireland – the last night out with all of my friends that I had grown so close to while I studied abroad.  My last 24 hours at UL (University of Limerick) is all a bit of a blur as well because everything was spiraling so fast and I was trying to take in every detail – to savor every single moment of the entire experience.  I did not want to let any of it go, and yet I knew that come 7am the next morning, I was going to be bound for Shannon Airport and eventually careening over the Atlantic, back to my life here in the states.  Now don’t get me wrong, I did miss my friends and family while I was away, but there was something so special and almost perfect about my time abroad that I was beyond reluctant to let it go.

But I had to, and while it may have been truly heartbreaking, my friends and I made it a night to remember.  So let me set the stage:  Finals had been done for about a week, so several of my Irish friends had already headed home for the summer.  My American friends that had not yet departed and I decided to spend that entire last day doing things that we had done the entire semester, but doing them one last time.  We went to Tesco just to get a few last bags of Midget Gems and Cadbury chocolate;  we then stopped by Rio’s to get one last bag of chips from the best chipper in Limerick; we decided to wander around downtown Limerick, taking in the sights of King John’s Castle and other tourist-y sites that we had evaded all semester; and we eventually walked along the River Shannon, back to the campus of UL and wandered through for one last time.  After taking in as much as we could, we returned to Kilmurry Village, our home away from home.  It was a beautiful day – no rain, barely any clouds.  I felt as if Ireland was giving me this day to take in everything that I had grown to love so much over the last four months, allowing me this much with almost no interruptions or hiccups.

And that night we decided to go to all of our favorite spots, starting first in my flat, house 48 where sessions had raged all semester.  And the best part was when our Irish friends that had gone home after finals returned to Limerick to give us a proper send-off.  The night was fantastic – dancing, singing, being surrounded by friends.  When we came home, everyone came to my room, helping me pack as we listened to our favorite songs and sang along until the taxi’s came at 6am.  It was a truly emotional night/early morning, and yet it has the potential to be my favorite night ever because of the craziness and excitement that was the perfect ending to a fascinating semester.  I have many photos from that night but as I look through them all, it is hard to only pick even a few to truly demonstrate the night in its entirety.  Therefore, I am going to allow this post to illustrate for itself how that night was simply the best.  My last night in Eire proved to be the culmination of everything I had enjoyed that semester.  The night proved to me once again just what a wonderful place the country is and that the people and places of that Isle will forever hold a special place in my heart.