Atlantic City, Baby

For Thanksgiving we went to Atlantic City as I mentioned before. We actually didn't do any gambling, but we did walk around the casinos to see the hustle and bustle of the city. Let me just tell you. Those casinos must make a fortune. I had no idea that so many people play slot machines. There were literally hundreds upon hundreds lined up in a row and people swarming everywhere.

At first I thought the atmosphere was exciting, but then I started feeling pretty down. Think of how many people are throwing their money away. Also, you'll know if you've ever been to Atlantic City, across the streets from all the casinos are shady liquor stores and pawn shops that "Buy GOLD for CASH." The part of the city that is not touristy is grim and scary.

If you want to gamble and you have money set aside for entertainment go for it. I'm not being judgemental. Unfortunately, I'm afraid too many people are decieving themselves into thinking they'll walk away a winner, and end up broke and depressed themselves.

The Glitz and Glam don't last forever.

Meandering Thanksgiving

We had intended to go to Wildwood, NJ for Thanksgiving but when we got there, we quickly found that it is abandoned during the winter. There are no hotels, no entertainment, and no people. It is a deserted town.

So what did we do instead? We drove further up the coast to Atlantic City. It was actually a lot fun. It was not the Thanksgiving we were expecting, but perhaps better.

The seagull in that photo is from the one day we spent in Brigatine on the beach too. It was really nice that day--perfect weather.

This Thanksgiving wins as the most unusual meal ever. We had a leftover salad and bread from an Italian Restaurant the night before, travel snacks, and coffee from Wawa's. While you may be feeling sorry for me at this point of your reading, don't be. That salad was perhaps the best one I've ever eaten in my entire life and I didn't want to throw it away, just because the next day was Thanksgiving. We were still thankful. And, we ate turkey at the Hilton on Saturday night anyway.

Take that, Brainiac

This is a test. Look at the image and determine which way the dancer is rotating. Which direction is she turning? Counter-clockwise or clockwise?


Which way did you see her spining?

If you saw her rotating clockwise you are right brained.
If you saw her rotating counter-clockwise you are left brained.

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

When I looked at her first, I saw her twirling to the right or rather clockwise. That means I'm right brained. I'd agree with that. I'm generally more creative than concrete, more philosophical, and a present and future kind of gal. But more emotional? Nah, they got that wrong. If anything I'm more "logical," "practical" and "reality based." When I examined her shadow, all of the sudden, I saw her spinning the other way (even before I read the significance of determining direction). Does that mean I'm abnormally balanced between the left and right brain?

I've always felt that tests like these suggest too much conformity and black or white categorization of self that is limiting and dangerously destructive. When sciencey people shun the arts and artsy people shun the sciences we only further create a divide that doesn't belong there. Advanced physics is more abstract. Good art makes mathematical sense. All fields converge into one larger base of knowledge that interconnects all parts. I guess my question is how singularly left or right brained can a person be? Most of us have the whole freakin' brain there, why must one half if be dominant all the time? Give your other side of the brain a cup of tea. Take it out to dinner every once in a while. Be a well-balanced individual.

Brain functions list and image from Perth Now, part of Austrailia's news.com

Blue and Green

Go to this link to see my post on the blog, Field Notes From the Sea Around Us.

I've included the poem I've written for my Honors Colloquium Course.
Blue and Green: A Tribute to Rachel Carson

Usually I don't like to post my poetry online because of the whole publishing and copyright fiascos that have victimized other poor writers, but this is an exception.

Check out the blog!

Teaching Golf

Every Saturday I had been teaching golf at Majestic Ridge to little kids from the Chambersburg area. It was so much fun. But now it is over, because it is simply toooooo cold. The kids were so cute. And I've forgotten how much I love golf. I haven't really gotten to play much since the whole ordeal with the Links a couple years ago. But anyway. Yay fun. Little kids and golf. It was also good stuff that I got paid a boat load of moolah an hour!

Tapas and Dancing

My super wonderful friends took me to Harrisburg for my birthday. They took me to Suba, a cozy little Spanish tapas restaurant. We ordered a whole bunch of different plates and then shared them. They were so beautifully presented, and tasty, mmmm. The sea-scallops and the gambas al pil pil (shrimp) were the best. There was also live flamenco music right beside our table. That made me miss Spain sooooo much. Afterwards my awesome friends took me dancing. What fun guys! I love you all!

The Cap-i-tal

On Friday, I got to go to Washington DC. It was a good time. I like DC. It's such a well-groomed city. And, all the museums are free. First we went to the National Gallery of Art, The National Archives that houses the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence, ate a street egg roll, looked at the White House, made a fool of ourselves in the Environmental Protection Agency, gagged in the sewer smoke, ate at the Hard Rock Cafe, wasted time in Barnes and Nobles, and froze to death on the rainy streets.

Since it was right before Veteren's Day, we also got to participate in sticking the flags on the mall beside the Washington Monument. That was really cool. Shaun and I are true patriots.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Facebook

Facebook. I love it.

I love being able to contact friends that I haven't seen for four years. I love being able to remain friends with people that live in different cities, states, and even a few in other countries. I love stealing people's pictures that they post. I love stalking people.

No longer do you have to be the 'last to know' that so-and-so is going out with so-and-so.
No longer do you have that awkward moment with a new friend when you find out that they hate republicans, and well, you are one.
No longer do you think, ohhh, hottie, just to find out later that he has a girlfriend he's been dating for the past 3 years, um yeah.
No longer do you have to wonder, hey did that dude go to my high school, he looks familiar?
No longer do you have to ask yourself what happened to my best friend from a bazillion years ago? Did she get ugly?
No longer do you have to make real friends
No longer do you have to have real life conversations.

But really...Facebook was such a good idea, and I think its popularity speaks for itself.

And thank you to all my lovely friends. Their 'happy birthdays' on my birthday made me feel super special! Thank you!!!

Yikes!

I'm old--way old. No more birthdays please. I remember when November 7th was an exciting day for me. Now it's much more ominious.

To think, 22 was always the number on my basketball jerseys in junior high and volleyball jerseys in high school. I remember thinking that 22 was a totally cool number. Then, I turned 22. Today.

I do not have my life together. I have no more idea of where on earth I'm going than I did 5 years ago. I am completely and utterly clueless. I am a butterfly that could drift away with any wind or get squashed on any windshield. At what point does life REALLY begin? And at what point are you REALLY living your life? I think I always expected to know by this age. 22. And I am still me.

I liked 21 better.

Pumpkins Continued

We also made English muffin pizzas (a few in scary faces) and toasted some delicious pumpkin seeds. And to be honest, pumpkin seeds with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on them weren't half bad.

We couldn't find a pumpkin patch nearby, but at least we got to pick our pumpkins and take them inside. Who said we had to pick them straight from the vine?

Pumpkin Carving

Alright. Some backtraking. A few weeks ago, some friends came over to my house for a pumpkin-carving-good-time. We went to the little farm store, Maplewood, got our pumpkins (in the pouring rain) and went to work. We used the little tools that Emily got, that actually cut better than large sharp knives. It was amazing, really, that little plastic things could function so much better. Here you see our lovely creations. Mine went from scary face to sad French guy with fangs. hmmmmm, yeah. I made the eyes slant the wrong way and the mouth was too mustache-looking. I think I have some pretty talented friends. Theirs all turned out pretty well.

Scavengers

Nicole took me on the strangest scavenger hunt ever at one of her friends' house. We dressed up in Halloween costumes and took to the streets of Chambersburg. Nicole was a convincing Shakira and I went as a cowgirl. Some of the items we had to find or bring back included: a Red lobster bib, a black gum ball, a grave stone rubbing, a fortune cookie, a manager's business card with their signature, a red straw, a McDonald's monopoly piece, and many others.

Some of the tasks we had to complete were to pump a stranger's gas, wrap a stranger in toilet paper as a mummy, lay on a bed a Kohls, carry someone's groceries to their car, ride on the horse at Kmart, find someone with more than 4 kids, have a stranger sing "I'm a little teapot," and get a picture of your team with a flaming dessert (our happened to be ice cream).

It was quite interesting Halloween fun. Not only were we asking for ridiculous stuff, we were also dressed up. People thought we were crazy for sure.