Flying with Teenagers

3. Take a ride in a beach helicopter. Or perhaps go parasailing over the ocean.

So, I'll admit, parasailing may have been ultimately more exciting, but after my up close and personal experience with the ocean on the casino boat- and due to some financial restraints- a quick ride in a helicopter seemed to fit. I don't know if lots of people have been in helicopters. I never have. I was curious about what it'd feel like to ride over the ocean in one of the 'choppers. So I did. Today.

Since I was going alone, I had to wait to until some other folks came in- as each helicopter requires 3 folks. Finally, my turn had arrived. I was to ride the helicopter with two young men from West Virginia. Then the receptionist said we need to figure out our seating arrangement as based on our weights. The heaviest would be sitting in the back, opposite the pilot to balance the helicopter. Now, I know that most women would feel slightly nervous about blurting out their weight in front of a waiting room of people. Not me. And surprisingly I wasn't the heaviest.

I finally won over the two young men, when I joked about them being scared. We had bonded.

Here is the ol' helicopter now...














Here is the view from the 'chopper of North Myrtle Beach and Atlantic Beach.





























And all you could hear throughout the journey on the headphones was "AWESOME!" It really was. It was beautiful. It was also a little scary. It definately was too short. I could have spent half a day up there.

Airbrushed Turns To Tie Dye

10. Get an airbrushed t-shirt/hat/picture/jean shorts/raft of Tim and I.

As I mentioned yesterday, I decided to "opt out" of the airbrushing and "opt in" to the creative task of tie-dye. But why tie-dye? Mostly because of the following video. I'm not sure if it was the tie-dye t-shirt or those tight pants, but I watched Robert Plant's every move with a dangerous curiosity. It was then that I realized how f-ing rad tie-dye t-shirts are...and how badly I wanted my own shirt.



Apparently, they don't regularly sell RIT dye at grocery stores, so I found myself sifting through the craft section of my least favorite discount store. I do love the craft section though. So many projects. So many wall-hangings and birdhouses and scraps of fabric. Luckily, this soulless store sold a wonderful tie-dye kit. It came with the rubber bands, four colors, rubber gloves, and some dyed ties. It seemed like a good deal.

Here is is our process....






































And down below...the final products. At least two of them. as the others dry, I will continue to post.

An Update on My Bucket List

I've decided to make some changes to the bucket list...

I am changing #7. This item required my visiting the aquarium. I've always wanted to go- but in driving back from Nashville the other day, I realized that Ripley's has their aquariums all over the place. So, I felt it didn't really accurately represent a Myrtle Beach adventure. I've decided to swap out the aquarium for a visit to Broadway at the Beach. Now, Broadway isn't particular to the area- in that I can visit many of the same stores that you'd find in any mall- but this one has the nostalgia park for the pavilion...so I'll have an opportunity to ride one of the old rides from the now defunct pavilion. I have my designs set on the carousel and the pirate ship ride (per my students' request).

I am also changing #8. Now, I like the idea of eating at the taqueria- mostly because it haunts me as I walk into the post office every other day. But I started thinking about places I always wanted to go since moving here...and then I remembered a bar that Tim and I visited once during a vacation. So, I figured, I could eat a bean and cheese burrito OR I could have some drinks at a bar that advertises itself as the "raw barrrrrr." Need I say more?

Onwards to #9...Oh, Dmitri. I am saddened to say I don't think Dmitri and I are going to spend an evening sitting on my front porch trying to communicate with one another. How sad. But I did take a picture of him while he bagged groceries. I'll miss you Dmitri. Maybe next summer you'll come work on Broadway in Nashville? Please...




















And lastly, #10...the airbrushing. I did venture to an airbrushing booth- to find out I'd have to pay about 10 bucks for one license plate. It just didn't seem very efficient. So...after seeing a couple of tie dye shirts at the local Waves- and watching Robert Plant sporting one on an old live DVD- I was hell bent on making some tie dyes and then bringing them back into style. Making them hip again, not reserved for the Widespread Panic show that Tim is frequenting right now (hey, he is getting paid!) So, we made tie-dyes last night. They are in the process of drying and being washed- so prepare yourself.

Tomorrow, I'm off to my helicopter ride. There is no predicted storm. I've already checked.

Casino Boat Cruise From Hell: The Perfect Storm

2. Gamble on a casino boat.

I'm not sure why I wanted this item to be on my bucket list. Before I placed it on the list, it seemed like a damn fine idea, given my financial circumstances. I had never gambled before (unless you consider the occasional lottery ticket) and I had never been on a cruise before. So, it seemed like the appropriate thing to do. It also seemed more intriguing because I had passes that meant I only had to pay $10 bucks and I could board, eat, drink...all for free. It seemed perfect.

When I mentioned my bucket list to Jennie Ann, this was the one item that she seemed ultimately thrilled about helping out with. So, with her visit this weekend- we decided to saddle up and take our cruise on Saturday. Upon waking on Saturday, I noticed it was extremely cloudy outside. I looked on the weather site and discovered a small tropical storm was headed toward our coast. I quickly phoned the cruise line (which due to any number of possible lawsuits- I will leave the name anonymous). They informed me that the boat would still be setting sail at the normal time. I figured this must mean it was safe. My mistake.

Upon boarding, the first thing I noticed was there was no instruction, no direction. Hell, I had no idea where the food was, where the slot machines were, how I was to get change, and where the hell the boat was even located. A few wrong turns and we found ourselves being run through metal detectors and walking onto the boat. Hell, I was excited. I do believe the evening before I even dreamed that I won a couple of thousand dollars. Now, that would have been too perfect.

Jennie Ann and I figured that we'd grab a bite to eat before the boat took off. They had a buffet line, which featured a number of unfavorable veggies and some even scarier looking meat. I grabbed some green beans, some potatoes, a doughnut, and a muffin. And oh yeah, a sprite. There was something about this boat I already knew would make my stomach feel unsettled. The following picture I think communicates very well the exact glory and just how delicious the food was.













After eating, we noticed that people were already setting up at slot machines and tables. Apparently, you are suppose to locate the machine you'd like to start with- then place a piece of paper in the slot to indicate to all other gamblers you had reserved this machine. This was the fun part. We found a couple of .25 cent machines, which we then proceeded to try to interpret. Luckily, we made friends with an older gentleman that sat nearby. He informed us about how to use the machines, but also gave us hints about how to "win." We sat talking with him, while the boat began to motor up and pass down the waterway. It was beautiful really, as we started to pull into the ocean (into what are "international waters"). I was excited. See below.
















As we got further out in the ocean, we ran right into the storm. The waves started getting bigger. The boat was bouncing upon each wave. I started feeling a little uneasy. Luckily we asked our older friend to tell us interesting stories, which were about gambling, his Navy career, and some weird story about falling in love with one woman- then marrying another. As distracting as these stories became, I noticed something distinctly odd about my stomach. I knew that at any moment, they'd turn the machines on and I'd be a millionaire. But I also noticed that I had started to perspire a bit on my forehead. I started feeling sort of odd. So, I stumbled my way to the bathroom to throw some cold water on my face. While in there, I heard the speaker inform us that it was time. We could now gamble- and have free drinks.


Now, I'm normally a big fan of free drinks. Jennie Ann and I laughed about possibly having to call a cab home. But about $5.00 dollars into my gambling- when the waitress came waltzing over- all I could think about was that I wanted a sprite. And I needed one, now. We kept gambling. I won $30 bucks, which was helpful and distracting- but at the end of my first $10 dollars- I felt like I needed a little fresh air. The picture below communicates the dizziness and the unease I was starting to feel stuck on this casino boat, as it rocked back and forth.

















We walked around the boat for a while. We thought some fresh air might make us both feel better, so we headed for the sun deck. I'm sure the sun deck is excellent when there happens to be sun. Instead the waves were crashing all about, the rain was coming in sideways, and I swear I imagined myself slipping and becoming the woman overboard. So, we found a small table in the bar area to take a rest. As I sat down, the most bizarre feeling came over me. I was utterly and completely- seasick. I realized never having been on a boat quite that far out in the ocean...I didn't realize I might be one of those people. I became consumed with overcoming this fault of mine. Jennie Ann got me a sprite (yes, this would be the second among 15 of them) and a dramamine. As the moments passed, I felt exponentially sick.

I told Jennie Ann to go off and gamble and let me get my sea legs and before long I'd be back in action. I glanced down at my watch, it was 1:30. I glanced out at the crashing waves. I thought to myself how I had no idea how I would make it for the next 4 hours. I also started noticing that I wasn't the only one sick. There were several others.

Around 2pm, I found myself locked in a bathroom stall. I didn't think I was so seasick that I was going to physically be sick (like that), but upon entering the bathroom and finding that I wasn't the only one in there who was sick- everything got worse. I am speculating that I spent about a half hour, walking back and forth from the bathroom. During this half hour, I noticed that the number of people getting sick increased. It increased fast. I started to believe this was the worst idea that I have ever had.

I heard people in the bathroom talking. Someone was discussing how many cruises they have been on and how they had never been sick. Someone else informed their friend that this was the first cruise they had been on...and now, the last cruise. I concur. I also heard one of the medic folks in the bathroom discussing why some folks get sick and others don't. Her highly trained medical opinion is that those folks that get seasick are inherently afraid of drowning. So, "we" are afraid and this makes us sick. What the fuck? No. I was hoping we would drown. It felt like at that moment, it was the ONLY thing that would stop this horrible rocking.

That is the thing about bucket lists- sometimes there are ideas you have. Sometimes these ideas are horrible. They are bad ideas. What was I thinking? A tropical storm. A rocking boat. A casino with loud sounds and bright, blinking lights. People were smoking constantly. I had no idea that people still smoked. I thought I was the only one left. But this cruise told me that I'm in the minority because I don't smoke 5 packs a day. I started to feel like the moment in Knocked Up when the character Ben says, "The mushrooms are turning on me!"

Around 2:30 pm or so, I stumbled out of the bathroom. I needed a place to lay down. There were a couple of couches filled with other sick folks. I noticed a couple sitting close by. They were laid back and there was a small space near them. I stumbled over, looking all fucked up, and pleaded that they share the couch with me. They were happy to help. The fella informed me to put my feet up in the chair, sit back, and close my eyes. And you know what, it worked. Now, I wasn't completely cured. Far from it, but I felt slightly better. I did continue to cling my "motion sickness bag" in hand, just in case. After sitting there in the peace and quiet, Jennie Ann found me. She informed me that I might feel better on the bottom floor, closer to the destruction of those evil waves. I told her to find me a place I could sit back and relax and I'd try to make it down. This was the last time I saw Jennie Ann until we were re-entering the waterway.

For the rest of the trip, I sat on this couch. I didn't get any cell phone service- or I swear I would have called my mom and pleaded with her to phone someone to get me off this horrible, horrible boat. I looked around, even more people were sick. They were everywhere. Little white bags in hand. And that same look on their face that said, "Fuck this."

Around 3:00pm, I noticed that a fella wearing a black shirt, black jeans, and black cowboy boots started setting up his microphone and guitar right below where I was sitting. I generally love music, but every strum of that guitar...I started to question if I would be able to make it back to the bathroom. The totally obnoxious, real full of himself entertainer proceeded to make jokes about all the sick people. Apparently it was funny. I also noticed how many people walked into the bar and either laughed or looked annoyed that we were taking up all the space. I wanted to yell out to them that this wasn't exactly how I planned to spend my day. But I just didn't have the energy. So, in my normal passive aggressive way, I just burned holes through them and wished this same sickness upon them.

In the middle of the casino boat rockstar's set, he had to take a break. Mostly because he could barely stand on stage. I started to worry that maybe the boat might not make it back to shore. The waves were incredible and they were pounding on the sides of the boat. I saw an older fella, who looked like someone who had previously served some time in the military, jump up and head to the back of the boat to inspect. This made me very nervous. I felt like he knew something I didn't. And the whole time I wondered if Jennie Ann had won a million for us yet.

Finally, the casino boat captain decided we needed to head back. They made an announcement that we shouldn't move, because the boat had to change course and head back and they would try their best to get us "safely" back to shore. See my concern? The boat motor started, making a horrible, scary sound. After about 10 minutes of a potential capsize situation, they announced we were free to move around again. Right.

I don't know if it was the fact I knew we were heading back or if the waves started to die down, but I started slowly feeling better. It was now 3:30 and I was wondering if I would have a chance to gamble away the rest of my savings (the other $10). It was around this time that a mean lady informed all of us sick folks that she needed to clean the room and that we'd have to move into another area. I swear...and I never think thoughts like this, but I thought, what a see-you-next-tuesday. The couple next to me looked at me in disbelief and asked, "Do we really have to move?"

I stumbled out into the casino. The smoking. The lights. The people. The sound. The music. I couldn't find a solo slot machine to make my home for the rest fo the ride. I couldn't find Jennie Ann. I thought that if I distracted myself, I might could make it without using that little white bag. And that is just what I did. I gambled for the next 30 minutes. Finally, I had service on my phone again and found out that Jennie Ann herself became sick shortly after venturing to find a place downstairs for me. She was sitting on the first floor, at the bar, with her head down, hood on the sweatshirt over her head, trying not to be sick.

I finally made my way down to her. And that damn entertainer was still going. And then the most hilarious thing happened, everyone started feeling better. You could tell. He was playing some Motown song and you noticed people laughing again. They were tapping their feet. We had survived. And mile by mile, I felt the nausea subside. Of course when I saw an extremely large man order a cheeseburger, I felt a little sick again. As we finished the ride, the entertainer got out his "dummy" and started performing his ventriloquist skills. Uh-oh, was I going to be sick again?

But we made it. I broke even on many different levels. Jennie Ann and I stood right outside the door, anxiously awaiting to set foot on the ground. The more we thought about it and talked, we realized it was almost like surviving some type of natural disaster. And I felt fucking exhausted. It was horrible. Absolutely horrible.

The picture below, which is totally and completely unflattering portrays the sheer hell that we endured on that boat.














After leaving the area and driving back to my safe neighborhood in Windy Hill, Jennie Ann and I realized we had a hankering for hangover food. And that is when we realized that the experience of being seasick was ultimately like having a hangover. The worst hangover possible. And here was the worst part- we didn't even get to drink and have a wild, rambunctious time to lead up to a hangover. At times, hangovers can be okay. Because you feel terrible, but you can sort of revel in all the weird things you did the night before. We didn't have that. All I had was the same $20 that I boarded the ship with (hell I had even paid 10 dollars for this wonderful experience)...but all the repercussions of the hangover were there.

I'm pretty sure we didn't talk about anything else for the rest of the night. I'm not sure I'll be able to talk about anything else for a few days. It was traumatic. It was horrible. And I am pretty sure that I'll never set foot on another boat again.

I'm moving on to my other bucket items. I've just got to wipe the slate clean.

Baseball and The Bowery

Bucket List #4

4. Play the baseball game at the Fun Plaza (yes, again and beat Tim again) and have a cold budweiser at The Bowery.















the fun plaza. three rooms full of games. tim and i cashed in $5.00 and spent an hour or so playing. i spent most of my time playing the baseball game, which i adore so. i also played some pac-man and skee-ball. a lovely way to spend an afternoon. as much as i hate it, i didn't win- but tim did. see the photo album for a picture of tim with his winnings.

though i didn't intend- tim and i also thought it would be a good idea to stop by the gay dolphin for one last shopping trip.




















for those of you that haven't stopped by the gay dolphin, it is a great place to sort through old junk and new junk. in the past, i found some awesome michael jackson pins. this time, i settled on some vintage postcards, particularly some windy hill postcards (our neighborhood). i also decided this would be a good time to purchase a tennessee magnet for our refrigerator.





















and lastly...the bowery. the bowery in myrtle beach is one of the most famous bars in the area, if not the most famous. the bowery is not only famous on its own right, but is quite a famous bar for my family. now, i do have a disclaimer- i don't typically like to support places that are covered in confederate flags, but i felt that for once- i needed to stop in for a drink. one beer.

i remember hearing stories about the bowery growing up. my mom once told me a story about going to the bowery when she was little. my grandmother took her and the other kids with her to go out for the night. my mom remembers sitting under a table at the bowery, while the shenanigans took place. i can only imagine the images she saw...as feet shuffled around through the bar and loud music played from the stage.

as terrifying at the bowery seems to me, i felt it was necessary to stop in. we made our visit around 4:30 on thursday. the "real" bowery was not yet open, but the smaller bar next door was- the actual bar that serves the bowery. tim and i saddled up to the bar for our one drink. the fella running the bar joked with us and informed us there would be a two drink minimum. funny thing is- we ended up having another. at which time, he informed us there was a 3 drink minimum. then after ordering another, he informed about the 5 drink minimum. you get the point. we ended up staying for several drinks. when he asked where we were from and we informed him we live in windy hill, he asked quite plainly, "then, why are you here?" he was charming. he served us what he called "the bowery buffet", which was a bowl of popcorn. honestly, after the drinks, the bowery buffet was absolutely delicious. as the hours passed, the music got louder. i imagine that around 1:00am, the place was absolutely insane.

if you'd like to see more pictures of the event, click on the photo album below.

What Can I Find In The Fridge?

i think i've already explained the financial situation of my summer. i've actually gone through my closet a second time looking for items to ebay. i'm starting to lose all sense of sentimentality. if i think it might sell, i'm listing it.

this also means i have to be careful with my food supply in the house. being careful also equals being creative. i cook about a pound of dry beans a week. i buy cheap bread. i make use of all leftovers.

today, i wondered about what was left in the fridge for dinner. i opened the door and looked around.

there were a couple of avocados leftover from the 4th of july cookout. now, avocados are expensive. super expensive in comparison to what i usually allow myself to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. besides that i think some people argue just which category the avocado would fall in.

what else was there?
some leftover tofu that needed to be used immediately.

so, i thought "what can i make for dinner with an avocado and tofu?" i quickly typed these two ingredients into google search. the second item that came up was this link

but...i don't have any yogurt. and i don't have brown rice. no black-eyed peas. no chili powder. man, this isn't going to work.

the thing about being frugal is that you can't give up too quickly. you have to think on your feet. hmm. i had some vegan sour cream that could fill in for the yogurt. i have white rice. i have some leftover black beans that were slow cooked with cumin and bay leaves. and hell, paprika and cayenne pepper will always help fill in the blank for the chili powder. i also threw on some leftover diced jalapeno peppers and green onions.

it was absolutely delicious. the kind of delicious that you count the hours until you get to enjoy the leftovers. i've only got to wait 16 hours.

My Floppy Beach Hat

#1 on my Myrtle Beach list has been accomplished. Check. 9 more to go.

Myrtle Beach Wishes

Now that we are in our final countdown of Myrtle Beach days, I thought it would only be proper to not only evaluate the last two years here (which will be done at a later time), but rather try to ensure I do all the things in Myrtle Beach that I should have done before leaving. Here is the thing about the beach- when you live here, the things like mini-golf, the ocean, and Ripley's Believe It Or Not sort of fall away. You forget there is a beautiful ocean across the street from your house. You forget there are some awesome (world famous) mini-golf courses. And despite all of your best laid plans, you often forget you should have at least gone parasailing once.

So, what are those things I want to do? What is planned for my final 30 days, though we are closer to 27 days now. It is a bucket list for my Myrtle Beach days. I came up with the 10 items today, while on the beach. I'm not saying I'm going to achieve all these goals, but I'm damn sure going to try.

1. Buy an obnoxiously large floppy beach hat.

2. Gamble on a casino boat.

3. Take a ride in a beach helicopter. Or perhaps go parasailing over the ocean.

4. Play the baseball game at the Fun Plaza (yes, again and beat Tim again) and have a cold budweiser at The Bowery.

5. Play a round of mini-golf. (I know, I know...there is a flippin' course about 2 blocks away...and we've never played. How about that Ripley for believe it or not.)

6. Witness and/or perform karaoke at Pat and Mike's in Little River. This one requires the attendance of both Tim and Patrick.

7. Visit the aquarium. This is the one that is the least attractive item on this list- mostly due to the droves of tourists that line the walls during this time of the season.

8. Eat at the taqueria next to the post office, while enduring confusing stares from the employees when I ask for beans only.

9. Get up the nerve to ask the Eastern European visiting workers that fill every single restaurant and grocery store for the summer to come over. I hope to find out about their experiences. In particular, we already have our designs set on Dmitri.

10. Get an airbrushed t-shirt/hat/picture/jean shorts/raft of Tim and I.

Apartments and Sports Bars

It is official. We've put money down on an apartment in Nashville. We'll be spending (at least) our first nine months in Nashville living in an area of town referred to as Germantown. As I ascertain more photographs of the new living space, I'll post more. I say more pictures, because yes, we put a deposit down on an apartment, we have merely seen 5 pictures of. So, after our upcoming visit, I'll have more information for you.

On another note, the other night, Tim and I were watching Anthony Bourdain's show No Reservations. Now, I adore Bourdain. I can't quite remember what distant land he was visiting, but I do remember him making a comment about an individual from the US that had relocated to this foreign land. He commented about the fella moving to this area and how his restaurant features food from the native land that he was currently inhabiting. He offhandedly mentioned how it was good he didn't move to this new land and open a sports bar.

I thought to myself that this comment seemed odd. It almost felt like to me that someone from the US moving to open a restaurant that represents "America" would undoubtedly be a sports bar. Really? Then I started to think about how here (in the US) we enjoy when new immigrants arrive and open up a restaurant that provides food from their native land.

So, then I begin to think that perhaps the comment was more about what "American" food consists of. I think I even felt a little offended. Now, I enjoy food from all around the world. At the same time, I don't believe that all "we" have to offer is sports bar cheese fries and mini-hamburgers. It seems to me that what is great about food in the US is that it is often an amalgamation of the various folks that live here currently. Of course, the food here has been shaped by the immigrants that make our country what it is. And this is why when I watch the Ken Burns' documentaries- I actually start feeling extremely patriotic. Burns discusses how baseball and jazz became what they are because of the very nature of this country. It is a country of immigrants. It is a country of various influences.

I'm absolutely the wrong person to be getting into any details about this....as Tim is better suited for this discussion, but there was just something about the comment that made me love Bourdain just a little less.