Couldn't sleep last night. Program tomorrow. Giddy, like a kid on christmas morning. Definitely ready to leave the BPR after going to sleep hungry and waking the next morning to the guy who told me, at 6:30 in the morning, that he needed at least two people to make a pot of coffee. One, "whatever dude" later, I almost cried on the way back to my room praying to whoever is up there that the next month of my life was not playing someones burden.
Fast forward a bit passed a silent airport ride, and inedible African Subway airport sandwich, and one more gum point for me from the guy, Earl (I swear that was really his name) who sat next to me on African Airways.
Tobs picked me up at the airport and took me to Buccaneers where I would stay a few days before volunteering. He said, with 'i know this girl will pee her pants when i say this' excitement, "I hope you like animals!" I almost peed my pants.
He pulled over the van for everything that moved and I took a picture of everything that moved. I met a guy from Brazil, a photographer, who was in Africa on a job.
I rode with the window open letting the eastern cape of south africa play with my hair.
NOW THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!
We went over one hill and i knew this was the one. At the peak, I could see the cliffs and the crashing waves of East london, South Africa. I laughed. Hysterically. Maybe because at that point i finally realized what was going on around me was actually real. It was actually happening. It was not a dream. It was not a check, or a credit card number. It was not twenty five covered bar shifts. It wasnt just a subletter and a dog sitter. This was the real deal.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Am I Saving Elephants yet?
Saturday morning the alarm attached to my wrist interupted my sleep. Huh, i finally noticed my bed was purple. Thats goodluck in my world.
I lay there thinking... in the inbetween time... we all do it.. the time inbetween when you wake up and you actually get out of bed. There was a lot to think about. I am in FreAkIN AfRIcA!?!? popped in to my head a few times.
I stood up for the first time in what felt like a day, and had the swaying feeling in the pit of my stomach like i was standing on a boat but didnt have my sea legs. Later, the dude at the front desk, Peter, told me that it was because the altitude was a mile higher then what I was used to. At least I am a member of one form of the mile high club.
My cousin Jenna recommended a bakery down the street, Fortunos, so I decided to check it out. Apparently they are the best bakery in Joburg. They even had Samosas which reminded me of the Saturday Farmers market in downtown Burlington in the summer..
I tried to order a coffee. The lady asked me what size.. ok normal question.. she asked me what kind... i said hot.. she asked me what kind again... and i said the kind that wakes you up... and i somehow managed to get a coffee... there just may have been pee in it.
I met a girl/lady named Sarah from Melbourne Australie who was taking the same tour to Soweto. We were the only two people on the tour. She chewed my gum. She was stopping in Joburg on enroute to some other african country to teach english to little ones.
There are two huge towers in the middle of Soweto that are made of brick and painted with murals of trees and people playing music. There is a bridge between them where people bungee jump. The tour guide said no locals ever do it and that it is more for tourists. Thank god no one was there to double dog dare me.
Everyday in Soweto they have a farmers market where the women sell jewelry and fruit and the men work on cars. There was a small tent in the middle of it all with a handwritten sign that read "Barber". Inside, an old man held a pair of clippers and little boys lined up down the street.
In the poorest parts of Soweto houses were made with aluminum and patched with newspapers. The only toilets were portopotties in the center. The houses were smaller then my bedroom and housed sometimes more then six people. Women were doing laundry in plastic tubs as we drove by, and young boys were hanging socks to dry on the fences that separated the "houses". Considering the close quarters and the trash infested streets, the people seemed fairly happy. Children kicked a around a deflated soccerball in the streets, and woman sat in circles chatting.
We drove up a few blocks and everything suddenly changed. Men were walking down the streets on their cell phones as we passed BMW's and Mercedes. The roads were clean and the large modern looking houses were protected with gates and security systems. We drove by Nelson Mandela's house, where his xwife Winnie currently resides, and some other nobel peace prize winner (i forget). Then we went to the place where some dude Hector was shot in the face, sparking a huge revolt between the african students and the afrikaan dutch white teachers. Black people couldnt even own land until 1990 when the aparthied ended. Pretty intense. I passed on the Apartheid museum.
After that I needed a beer.
After that I didnt really know what to do with myself so I read outside in the gardens. I catch myself reaching into my pocket to check my phone even though i know its shut off. Other times, I can swear I feel something vibrate. I think its a sign that some one is thinking about me. Cooper?
Can it be tomorrow already? Joburg is cool and all but I can read books out of spite back in Burlington. I am here to hang out with Elephants! LETS DO THIS PEOPLE!!!!
I lay there thinking... in the inbetween time... we all do it.. the time inbetween when you wake up and you actually get out of bed. There was a lot to think about. I am in FreAkIN AfRIcA!?!? popped in to my head a few times.
I stood up for the first time in what felt like a day, and had the swaying feeling in the pit of my stomach like i was standing on a boat but didnt have my sea legs. Later, the dude at the front desk, Peter, told me that it was because the altitude was a mile higher then what I was used to. At least I am a member of one form of the mile high club.
My cousin Jenna recommended a bakery down the street, Fortunos, so I decided to check it out. Apparently they are the best bakery in Joburg. They even had Samosas which reminded me of the Saturday Farmers market in downtown Burlington in the summer..
I tried to order a coffee. The lady asked me what size.. ok normal question.. she asked me what kind... i said hot.. she asked me what kind again... and i said the kind that wakes you up... and i somehow managed to get a coffee... there just may have been pee in it.
I met a girl/lady named Sarah from Melbourne Australie who was taking the same tour to Soweto. We were the only two people on the tour. She chewed my gum. She was stopping in Joburg on enroute to some other african country to teach english to little ones.
There are two huge towers in the middle of Soweto that are made of brick and painted with murals of trees and people playing music. There is a bridge between them where people bungee jump. The tour guide said no locals ever do it and that it is more for tourists. Thank god no one was there to double dog dare me.
Everyday in Soweto they have a farmers market where the women sell jewelry and fruit and the men work on cars. There was a small tent in the middle of it all with a handwritten sign that read "Barber". Inside, an old man held a pair of clippers and little boys lined up down the street.
In the poorest parts of Soweto houses were made with aluminum and patched with newspapers. The only toilets were portopotties in the center. The houses were smaller then my bedroom and housed sometimes more then six people. Women were doing laundry in plastic tubs as we drove by, and young boys were hanging socks to dry on the fences that separated the "houses". Considering the close quarters and the trash infested streets, the people seemed fairly happy. Children kicked a around a deflated soccerball in the streets, and woman sat in circles chatting.
We drove up a few blocks and everything suddenly changed. Men were walking down the streets on their cell phones as we passed BMW's and Mercedes. The roads were clean and the large modern looking houses were protected with gates and security systems. We drove by Nelson Mandela's house, where his xwife Winnie currently resides, and some other nobel peace prize winner (i forget). Then we went to the place where some dude Hector was shot in the face, sparking a huge revolt between the african students and the afrikaan dutch white teachers. Black people couldnt even own land until 1990 when the aparthied ended. Pretty intense. I passed on the Apartheid museum.
After that I needed a beer.
After that I didnt really know what to do with myself so I read outside in the gardens. I catch myself reaching into my pocket to check my phone even though i know its shut off. Other times, I can swear I feel something vibrate. I think its a sign that some one is thinking about me. Cooper?
Can it be tomorrow already? Joburg is cool and all but I can read books out of spite back in Burlington. I am here to hang out with Elephants! LETS DO THIS PEOPLE!!!!
Reeee Reee Reee
So far the scariest thing I have done in South Africa was take a shower in the pitch dark in an UNlocked bathroom down the hill from the hostel.
Unlocked.
Meaning anyone could... oh... i am terrified just thinking about it....
...and did i mention the bugs?
You may be wondering: Tara, wow, you must have very good vision to see bugs in the pitch black. Valid thought. Anyhow, I McGyvered (sp) my headlamp in the corner of the shower to shine down on my Pantene which was also became a magnet for this inch long wanna be pricker things. Plus, light or dark, anyone can feel a bug smack into the side of your head.
Besides the fear of dying an African Psycho death, the water pressure and hot water were surprisingly pleasant.
Unlocked.
Meaning anyone could... oh... i am terrified just thinking about it....
...and did i mention the bugs?
You may be wondering: Tara, wow, you must have very good vision to see bugs in the pitch black. Valid thought. Anyhow, I McGyvered (sp) my headlamp in the corner of the shower to shine down on my Pantene which was also became a magnet for this inch long wanna be pricker things. Plus, light or dark, anyone can feel a bug smack into the side of your head.
Besides the fear of dying an African Psycho death, the water pressure and hot water were surprisingly pleasant.
London has been kickflipped.
Hey Guys!
I am finally in Jo-Burg, SA. Getting here was a bunch of fun! Actually, it wasn't and that is a huge lie. HUGE.
I thought it would be a piece of cake flying from Logan to Heathrow. I didnt have any drugs(illegal) or firearms ( however, the blue lady did inspect my pen with unusual suspect). I even went beltless, which helped me to get through the metal detector with ease, but was problematic later on in my airport adventure. I wont get into that.
I had special pills, Nyquil, and Advil PM, pumping through my system, yet lacked the ability to sleep. I worked on #9 on my list and played "Bombs over Baghdad" on repeat. I read a trashy magazine but it wasnt the same without having someone next to me to point out the most ridiculous stories/fashion statements/ anything involving Lady Gaga.
The damn book I carried on was my new enemy, getting in the way of everything i really needed. When was the last time I even read a book? I decided to read it purely out of spite. But, setting it on fire was not out of the question.
I landed in Heathrow a complete zombie. I sat backwards on the train to London by accident and thought about that time I got sick at that carnival on that ride after I ate that Rice Krispy Treat cereal.
But for some reason I felt the need, after not a moment of sleep, to ride around London in a bright red double decker bus. I did not see one famous person. But did see the London Eye, a huge ferris wheel built for the millenium. Also, Big Ben (which is the bell BTW not the clock) And just to let everyone know, the London Bridge is FINE, it is not falling down at all.
Everything is "dodgy" and "mad". I told the wall to "dodge this" before I kicked flipped the hell out of it. Note to self: Add Kick flip something in every major city to list of things to do before i die.
I sat at the restuarant for a while and every person who sat beside me ordered fish and chips. seriously. It was not cool.
Another uncool part about Heathrow was that i had to pay to use the toilet. Well, I actually had to buy a diet coke to make change to pay to use the toilet. Which doesnt seem reasonable to me at this very moment. I dropped my shirt on the floor of the bathroom and immediately threw it away. Ew airport bathroom floor. Ew.
After i used the toilet, i loitered in the bathroom for a few minufes, just to make sure i got my moneys worth. 3 Pounds and a shirt. Thats MAD.
On the plane to SA, I thought for a hot second that i had the whole row to myself. How FREAKIN COOL RIGHT? I went to stretch out across all three seats, and just as i was about to pass out ( i hadnt slept in over 30 hours at this point) some dude sat on my feet! Literally, his ass touched my foot. It was gross. That wasnt even his seat. I assumed the one ticket holder in the row automatically absorbed the rights to the nearest seats if those seats at any point become vacant.
He ended up letting me use his cell phone after we landed so that I could call the Backpackers Ritz where i was staying. He was really nice and i felt bad for cursing him for the past ten hours.
When i got to the Ritz it was 9am and i had slept for 5 hours in the last two days. I passed out from 9 to 8pm when i woke up just to eat dinner... chicken potjie with apricot (i still cant figure out if that is a misspelling on their part or if potjie is some secret african dish ) Either way it was delicious. It had rained all day and i justified my catching up on sleep with the fact that i probably wouldnt have done anything anyway. Then I went back to sleep until the morning.
Today I went to SOWETO.
But I will tell you about that later. Some dude just walked in and his cologne is rank.
I am finally in Jo-Burg, SA. Getting here was a bunch of fun! Actually, it wasn't and that is a huge lie. HUGE.
I thought it would be a piece of cake flying from Logan to Heathrow. I didnt have any drugs(illegal) or firearms ( however, the blue lady did inspect my pen with unusual suspect). I even went beltless, which helped me to get through the metal detector with ease, but was problematic later on in my airport adventure. I wont get into that.
I had special pills, Nyquil, and Advil PM, pumping through my system, yet lacked the ability to sleep. I worked on #9 on my list and played "Bombs over Baghdad" on repeat. I read a trashy magazine but it wasnt the same without having someone next to me to point out the most ridiculous stories/fashion statements/ anything involving Lady Gaga.
The damn book I carried on was my new enemy, getting in the way of everything i really needed. When was the last time I even read a book? I decided to read it purely out of spite. But, setting it on fire was not out of the question.
I landed in Heathrow a complete zombie. I sat backwards on the train to London by accident and thought about that time I got sick at that carnival on that ride after I ate that Rice Krispy Treat cereal.
But for some reason I felt the need, after not a moment of sleep, to ride around London in a bright red double decker bus. I did not see one famous person. But did see the London Eye, a huge ferris wheel built for the millenium. Also, Big Ben (which is the bell BTW not the clock) And just to let everyone know, the London Bridge is FINE, it is not falling down at all.
Everything is "dodgy" and "mad". I told the wall to "dodge this" before I kicked flipped the hell out of it. Note to self: Add Kick flip something in every major city to list of things to do before i die.
I sat at the restuarant for a while and every person who sat beside me ordered fish and chips. seriously. It was not cool.
Another uncool part about Heathrow was that i had to pay to use the toilet. Well, I actually had to buy a diet coke to make change to pay to use the toilet. Which doesnt seem reasonable to me at this very moment. I dropped my shirt on the floor of the bathroom and immediately threw it away. Ew airport bathroom floor. Ew.
After i used the toilet, i loitered in the bathroom for a few minufes, just to make sure i got my moneys worth. 3 Pounds and a shirt. Thats MAD.
On the plane to SA, I thought for a hot second that i had the whole row to myself. How FREAKIN COOL RIGHT? I went to stretch out across all three seats, and just as i was about to pass out ( i hadnt slept in over 30 hours at this point) some dude sat on my feet! Literally, his ass touched my foot. It was gross. That wasnt even his seat. I assumed the one ticket holder in the row automatically absorbed the rights to the nearest seats if those seats at any point become vacant.
He ended up letting me use his cell phone after we landed so that I could call the Backpackers Ritz where i was staying. He was really nice and i felt bad for cursing him for the past ten hours.
When i got to the Ritz it was 9am and i had slept for 5 hours in the last two days. I passed out from 9 to 8pm when i woke up just to eat dinner... chicken potjie with apricot (i still cant figure out if that is a misspelling on their part or if potjie is some secret african dish ) Either way it was delicious. It had rained all day and i justified my catching up on sleep with the fact that i probably wouldnt have done anything anyway. Then I went back to sleep until the morning.
Today I went to SOWETO.
But I will tell you about that later. Some dude just walked in and his cologne is rank.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Have an Art Show and sell my art. CHECK!
February 22, 2010 ETD from Burlington 12hrs
The art show was a major success! A little faith can go a LONG WAY!
And I checked the HELL outta number 13 on my list of things to do before I die. BOOYAH!
Insert Bombs Over Baghdad air slap dance here!
Thank you everyone for coming and eating my cheese. Except for that one person.... that I think may have been taking advantage of my cheese. it made me very unHappy.
To be supported by all of these wicked cool people is hard to express in words, but I am willing to try as I am not one to keep my mouth shut! or my typing/texting fingers still..
Short Version: THANKS!!!!!!
And a double solid high five, if its not good enough we will do it over again, thank you to the people who participated in the Silent Auction! Today I bought a new digital camera with the money i raised as to better capture the salivating lion as it runs towards me.
Longer Version:
First, Hi Daddy! Thanks for buying the painting "Baby" and thank you sooooo much for giving it to me. It means the world to me. And it looks great hanging over my bed:) Hope Bev likes Torch.
Mom mummy ma ma ma, not only did you do the most AMAZING job replenishing the refreshments, but you also walked away with the piece you wanted! Hopefully when you look at it you will think of me and remember that 'every passing minute is another chance to Turn it All Around.' The pictures came out good too!
Jilly! Thanks for helping with the paintings and bid sheets. And you bought two paintings!! (Hi Lou! ) Oh and i swear no one knew that Meredith was you.
Bret- Thanks for doing a number on the Smoked Porter keg in the basement. And finding the alarm on my watch.
SeaBass- I hope my paintings are inspiration to you! Thanks so much! And thanks for the ipod thingie.
Dave- I really like that you signed the bid sheets, "Talkin' Dave." Just so there would be absolutely NO confusion!! You walked away with two paintings as well!! Good job! And thanks!
Mark Farina. I love that you bought the Fallen Angel. This means I will still get to see it, as I am over your house quite frequently! You rock.
Vicky. The painting you bought is one of my favorites. At least i know i will see it when we get together on Mondays for BASN:)
Heather and John Anthony. Thank you for coming! Im glad you had fun, and Heather your daughter is adorable!
MHW I am fortunate to have the coolest bestie ever. Enough said.
Annie Thanks for starting the whole climb in the Hoop fever thing... i had a great time in there. until i realized i couldnt get out... and i almost twisted my ankle kickflipping random shiz on the way home... that would have been SWEET right before AFRICA!
Lindsey Jaworek. Thanks for being there to help out ! Sorry i didnt get more of a chance to talk 'bar' with you...VGRTT thats all i got.
Gilbert- Thank you for 1.5 oz of Jager and the very generous donation! Are you really getting the middle finger tattooed on your back right now?? Appropriate only if you ever go to prison.
Thank you to whomever bought the champagne. Mick? Best Toast this year!
Jay Carlson. As usual. Thanks for very little.
And to all my friends who came to drink beer! Love you!!
A special thank you to Greg Noonan for supporting me from above. One day this past summer, he pulled me over to the side and said " You are one of my best employees and I value you and the work you do for me, but honestly you have so much more going for you. And now is the time to do it." I know he'd be so proud of me.
(That was clearly not the fourth of July.)
Thank you everyone for giving this girl a moment she will remember forever.
and this is just the beginning...
The art show was a major success! A little faith can go a LONG WAY!
And I checked the HELL outta number 13 on my list of things to do before I die. BOOYAH!
Insert Bombs Over Baghdad air slap dance here!
Thank you everyone for coming and eating my cheese. Except for that one person.... that I think may have been taking advantage of my cheese. it made me very unHappy.
To be supported by all of these wicked cool people is hard to express in words, but I am willing to try as I am not one to keep my mouth shut! or my typing/texting fingers still..
Short Version: THANKS!!!!!!
And a double solid high five, if its not good enough we will do it over again, thank you to the people who participated in the Silent Auction! Today I bought a new digital camera with the money i raised as to better capture the salivating lion as it runs towards me.
Longer Version:
First, Hi Daddy! Thanks for buying the painting "Baby" and thank you sooooo much for giving it to me. It means the world to me. And it looks great hanging over my bed:) Hope Bev likes Torch.
Mom mummy ma ma ma, not only did you do the most AMAZING job replenishing the refreshments, but you also walked away with the piece you wanted! Hopefully when you look at it you will think of me and remember that 'every passing minute is another chance to Turn it All Around.' The pictures came out good too!
Jilly! Thanks for helping with the paintings and bid sheets. And you bought two paintings!! (Hi Lou! ) Oh and i swear no one knew that Meredith was you.
Bret- Thanks for doing a number on the Smoked Porter keg in the basement. And finding the alarm on my watch.
SeaBass- I hope my paintings are inspiration to you! Thanks so much! And thanks for the ipod thingie.
Dave- I really like that you signed the bid sheets, "Talkin' Dave." Just so there would be absolutely NO confusion!! You walked away with two paintings as well!! Good job! And thanks!
Mark Farina. I love that you bought the Fallen Angel. This means I will still get to see it, as I am over your house quite frequently! You rock.
Vicky. The painting you bought is one of my favorites. At least i know i will see it when we get together on Mondays for BASN:)
Heather and John Anthony. Thank you for coming! Im glad you had fun, and Heather your daughter is adorable!
MHW I am fortunate to have the coolest bestie ever. Enough said.
Annie Thanks for starting the whole climb in the Hoop fever thing... i had a great time in there. until i realized i couldnt get out... and i almost twisted my ankle kickflipping random shiz on the way home... that would have been SWEET right before AFRICA!
Lindsey Jaworek. Thanks for being there to help out ! Sorry i didnt get more of a chance to talk 'bar' with you...VGRTT thats all i got.
Gilbert- Thank you for 1.5 oz of Jager and the very generous donation! Are you really getting the middle finger tattooed on your back right now?? Appropriate only if you ever go to prison.
Thank you to whomever bought the champagne. Mick? Best Toast this year!
Jay Carlson. As usual. Thanks for very little.
And to all my friends who came to drink beer! Love you!!
A special thank you to Greg Noonan for supporting me from above. One day this past summer, he pulled me over to the side and said " You are one of my best employees and I value you and the work you do for me, but honestly you have so much more going for you. And now is the time to do it." I know he'd be so proud of me.
(That was clearly not the fourth of July.)
Thank you everyone for giving this girl a moment she will remember forever.
and this is just the beginning...
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
over-preparation. the silent killer of adventure.
Trying to pack a months worth of stuff in a camping backpack is not easy. Luckily I can roll one of my tank tops up into the size of a hot dog.
Yesterday for some reason, I felt this wave of fear/stress/anxiety that I was going to forget something that was detrimental to the success of my trip. Since I have the most stress-free life in the world, my body did not receive this well and I had to sit down. And eat a chocolate covered gummy bear.
This is what i came up with. First of all, stressing is counter productive, so i just stopped that dead in its tracks. Second of all, being over prepared for just about anything in life kind of sucks the fun out of it.
Where there is spontaneity there is adventure. And life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all. My homegirl Hellen Keller said that. Or signed it. Or something.
Because, for real, I am going half way across the world, away from all my friends and my family and my dog, for a month, I suppose I can handle getting to a store there to buy the bug spray I am bound to forget to bring. Who knows maybe on the way to the store to buy bug spray, I could run into Angelina Jolie adopting another African baby? That is one adventure I would hate to miss. I would thank my forgetfulness for once.
Plus, I can borrow stuff from the people in my group. Its kinda like Insta-friend because you know they have to talk to you again if they ever want to see their shit again.
I will also bring a whole ton of gum. Because people love gum. And people love people that have gum.
So in an attempt to carry the lightest back pack on my already doctor diagnosed crooked back, I am packing for a month away what a normal person would pack for a week. It will be all good.
I leave in a week. I just hope i don't lose my sunglasses in that time. But if all else fails, I can always ask Angie if i can borrow hers.
Yesterday for some reason, I felt this wave of fear/stress/anxiety that I was going to forget something that was detrimental to the success of my trip. Since I have the most stress-free life in the world, my body did not receive this well and I had to sit down. And eat a chocolate covered gummy bear.
This is what i came up with. First of all, stressing is counter productive, so i just stopped that dead in its tracks. Second of all, being over prepared for just about anything in life kind of sucks the fun out of it.
Where there is spontaneity there is adventure. And life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all. My homegirl Hellen Keller said that. Or signed it. Or something.
Because, for real, I am going half way across the world, away from all my friends and my family and my dog, for a month, I suppose I can handle getting to a store there to buy the bug spray I am bound to forget to bring. Who knows maybe on the way to the store to buy bug spray, I could run into Angelina Jolie adopting another African baby? That is one adventure I would hate to miss. I would thank my forgetfulness for once.
Plus, I can borrow stuff from the people in my group. Its kinda like Insta-friend because you know they have to talk to you again if they ever want to see their shit again.
I will also bring a whole ton of gum. Because people love gum. And people love people that have gum.
So in an attempt to carry the lightest back pack on my already doctor diagnosed crooked back, I am packing for a month away what a normal person would pack for a week. It will be all good.
I leave in a week. I just hope i don't lose my sunglasses in that time. But if all else fails, I can always ask Angie if i can borrow hers.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Art that will be up for Auction THIS Sunday!
Someone once said that with every sunrise our sins are forgiven. So, if you hang this above your bed, your pretty much good to go.
With every sunrise, you get another chance to take over the world.
Two beast trying to kick
the shit out of each other
and in love.
Pretty romantic to me.
"Every Passing Minute Is A Chance To Turn It All Around." Hence. Elephant ass.
I have my eye on you.
"Fallen Angel"
Just for the record, I am not claiming to be fallen nor an angel.
The Earth always looks a little 'on fire' to me during Autumn. And I really like fire.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
"Just Do It" List
1. Ride an African Elephant. CHECK!
2. Paint a mural on the side of a brick building.
3. Surf a huge monstrous wave Dude.
4. Have an art show and sell my art. CHECK!!
5. Drive across the country.
6. Have a purple Mohawk
7. Swim with sharks. 1/2 Check. They were nurse sharks.
8. Send a message in a bottle. Will do this in Africa. Where will it end up?
9. Learn all the words to “Bombs over Baghdad” by Outkast. Um hello two day flight to Africa.
10. Have a dog. Check.
11. Get a tattoo. Check.
12. Buy someone’s coffee behind me at the drive through. Easy enough.
13. Go to the Oscars or Academy awards.
14. Bungee jump in a cocktail dress.
15. Run a Marathon. (Does drinking at a marathon count at all?)
16. Something that involves an active volcano.
17. Have monkey hang all over me.
18. Buy someone else a car.
19. See my parents really get over it
20. Speak Spanish fluently.
21. Do standup comedy
22. Own a house. Or an RV. Or let someone buy me a house.
23. Help build a house for someone else.
24. Volunteer at the Humane Society. Check.
25. Date a celebrity. A really hot rich one.
26. RACE TRACK
27. Fly a plane. And wear one of those stupid hats while doing it.
28. Have sex in an airplane. Not while I am flying it.
29. Have something named after me. Preferably a beer. Or a sandwich with avocado.
30. Learn how to work a stripper pole. Hey. It might come in handy.
31. Blog. I feel like I have a lot to say? Check.
32. Skydive. Check.
33. Travel to Europe. Check.
34. Travel to Africa. Almost Check.
35. Travel to Australia
36. Travel to a third world country. Check. Belize. Check.
37. Keep up with the Kardashians. LOVE THEM. Watching a marathon all day doesnt count.
38. Cook Thanksgiving dinner. Myself. I might not want to actually do this.
39. Be my sister’s maid of honor.
40. Live on an island and bartend and teach surfing. Like cocktail but without stupid Tom Cruise. do you think he heard me?
41. Walk right up to the cutest guy in the room and give him a kiss
42. Stop Biting my nails
43. Pay off my college loans!!
44. Learn how to drive standard. This one should be easy.
45. Sell all my possessions and start from scratch.
46. Act in a legit movie
47. White water rafting!
48. Plant a tree.
49. Drop a TV from the top of a really high building.
50. Ride a mechanical bull (hopefully that day I am not wearing a skirt)
51. Model something in a magazine.
52. Go to Vegas (and hit the JACKPOT!)
53. Get a tattoo on a whim.
54. Take a pottery sculpting class
55. Grow and eat the vegetables from my own garden
56. Become a licensed personal trainer
57. Adopt a child. Or a dog.
58. Live Alone. Check.
59. Honk the horn of a huge Mack truck.
60. Drink wine in a hot air balloon.
61. Break a World Record
62. Go on a cruise. Check. Thanks Mummy.
63. Write a children’s book. Illustrate it too.
64. Own a brand new car. Check. 2009 Toyota Corolla LE. Magnetic Grey baby!
65. Meet my family in Sicily.
66. Ride EVERY rollercoaster EVER. This will be tough but I am willing to try.
67. See Mt. Rushmore. Still on the fence as to weather I really care about this.
68. Visit the Grand Canyon
69. Get that Barbell in my ear
70. Write a book with Wyman
71. Walk the GREAT WALL of CHINA
This is the best to-do list i have ever made in my life.
If anyone wants to help me with any of this, let me know. Smashing a TV from the top of a really high building will not be nearly as much fun by myself!
2. Paint a mural on the side of a brick building.
3. Surf a huge monstrous wave Dude.
4. Have an art show and sell my art. CHECK!!
5. Drive across the country.
6. Have a purple Mohawk
7. Swim with sharks. 1/2 Check. They were nurse sharks.
8. Send a message in a bottle. Will do this in Africa. Where will it end up?
9. Learn all the words to “Bombs over Baghdad” by Outkast. Um hello two day flight to Africa.
10. Have a dog. Check.
11. Get a tattoo. Check.
12. Buy someone’s coffee behind me at the drive through. Easy enough.
13. Go to the Oscars or Academy awards.
14. Bungee jump in a cocktail dress.
15. Run a Marathon. (Does drinking at a marathon count at all?)
16. Something that involves an active volcano.
17. Have monkey hang all over me.
18. Buy someone else a car.
19. See my parents really get over it
20. Speak Spanish fluently.
21. Do standup comedy
22. Own a house. Or an RV. Or let someone buy me a house.
23. Help build a house for someone else.
24. Volunteer at the Humane Society. Check.
25. Date a celebrity. A really hot rich one.
26. RACE TRACK
27. Fly a plane. And wear one of those stupid hats while doing it.
28. Have sex in an airplane. Not while I am flying it.
29. Have something named after me. Preferably a beer. Or a sandwich with avocado.
30. Learn how to work a stripper pole. Hey. It might come in handy.
31. Blog. I feel like I have a lot to say? Check.
32. Skydive. Check.
33. Travel to Europe. Check.
34. Travel to Africa. Almost Check.
35. Travel to Australia
36. Travel to a third world country. Check. Belize. Check.
37. Keep up with the Kardashians. LOVE THEM. Watching a marathon all day doesnt count.
38. Cook Thanksgiving dinner. Myself. I might not want to actually do this.
39. Be my sister’s maid of honor.
40. Live on an island and bartend and teach surfing. Like cocktail but without stupid Tom Cruise. do you think he heard me?
41. Walk right up to the cutest guy in the room and give him a kiss
42. Stop Biting my nails
43. Pay off my college loans!!
44. Learn how to drive standard. This one should be easy.
45. Sell all my possessions and start from scratch.
46. Act in a legit movie
47. White water rafting!
48. Plant a tree.
49. Drop a TV from the top of a really high building.
50. Ride a mechanical bull (hopefully that day I am not wearing a skirt)
51. Model something in a magazine.
52. Go to Vegas (and hit the JACKPOT!)
53. Get a tattoo on a whim.
54. Take a pottery sculpting class
55. Grow and eat the vegetables from my own garden
56. Become a licensed personal trainer
57. Adopt a child. Or a dog.
58. Live Alone. Check.
59. Honk the horn of a huge Mack truck.
60. Drink wine in a hot air balloon.
61. Break a World Record
62. Go on a cruise. Check. Thanks Mummy.
63. Write a children’s book. Illustrate it too.
64. Own a brand new car. Check. 2009 Toyota Corolla LE. Magnetic Grey baby!
65. Meet my family in Sicily.
66. Ride EVERY rollercoaster EVER. This will be tough but I am willing to try.
67. See Mt. Rushmore. Still on the fence as to weather I really care about this.
68. Visit the Grand Canyon
69. Get that Barbell in my ear
70. Write a book with Wyman
71. Walk the GREAT WALL of CHINA
This is the best to-do list i have ever made in my life.
If anyone wants to help me with any of this, let me know. Smashing a TV from the top of a really high building will not be nearly as much fun by myself!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Silent Auction Guidelines and Common Understandings
1. Even though you might think it’s a good idea, please do not bid under the minimum bid.
2. The minimum bid “jump” is $5. So, if Joe bids $150 for an item, you must bid at least $155, five dollars higher then his bid, to outbid him. No one wants to be outbid by pennies.
3. Even though you may think no one will notice, please do not bid under the minimum bid “jump”.
4. You may bid a greater amount then the minimum bid “jump” and in fact, may be the best bidding strategy to blow away the competition. For example, maybe you heart #1 and want to slap a bid of $1,000 to it and sit down for a few hours and enjoy some beer and free peanuts. I’m just saying.
5. Make sure your hand-writing is legible. Do not blame your beer or your computer. If you cross something out, rewrite it. The Auction sheets are taped to the bar, so you don’t even have to put your beer down.
6. If you really like a piece, protect it. You could be outbid one milli second before closing time.
7. Closing time is 10pm for all items, excluding “Baby”. No exceptions. Closing time for “Baby” is at 10:30 pm.
8. After closing, the winning bidder will be announced. And high-fived.
9. Remember the funds raised tonight are going to a good cause. Each bid and advance helps, so get on out there and bid lively and have some fun!
10. Any questions, ask Tara! She’s the bartender.
2. The minimum bid “jump” is $5. So, if Joe bids $150 for an item, you must bid at least $155, five dollars higher then his bid, to outbid him. No one wants to be outbid by pennies.
3. Even though you may think no one will notice, please do not bid under the minimum bid “jump”.
4. You may bid a greater amount then the minimum bid “jump” and in fact, may be the best bidding strategy to blow away the competition. For example, maybe you heart #1 and want to slap a bid of $1,000 to it and sit down for a few hours and enjoy some beer and free peanuts. I’m just saying.
5. Make sure your hand-writing is legible. Do not blame your beer or your computer. If you cross something out, rewrite it. The Auction sheets are taped to the bar, so you don’t even have to put your beer down.
6. If you really like a piece, protect it. You could be outbid one milli second before closing time.
7. Closing time is 10pm for all items, excluding “Baby”. No exceptions. Closing time for “Baby” is at 10:30 pm.
8. After closing, the winning bidder will be announced. And high-fived.
9. Remember the funds raised tonight are going to a good cause. Each bid and advance helps, so get on out there and bid lively and have some fun!
10. Any questions, ask Tara! She’s the bartender.
Save the Elephants! Art Exhibit
In an attempt to raise some money for my trip to South Africa, I came up with the idea to have an art show. Painting has always been the easy part for me, slap some purple here, green there, and voila! an artistic creation! I love Bob Ross.
The selling of the art, however... non-existent. The majority of the people who know me didn't know I painted in the first place (not sure how that slipped by). I have never had an art show. I am not featured at City Market, or Penny Cluse. Mmm herb gravy.
In an overwhelming "duh" moment, I realized that no one was going to buy a painting of mine (#13 on my "Just do it" List), thus never being able to cross that off my list, if my paintings are collecting dust in my locked apartment. Also, no one else is going to have an art show for me... so it looks like i gotta do it myself.
One thing led to another, and I decided I would use my trip to South Africa and my exhibit to promote it, as a stepping stone into the Local Burlington Art World. I had to also think about the progression of my life when I returned from South Africa.
First things first. I called the Bob (Steve Pole Waxer "the boss") to run my idea by him. My POA was to mentioned the lack of business on Sunday nights, my pathetic need to eventually "dip my toe in" the art world water, and capitalize on the fact that he wouldn't have to do anything. I deep down hoped that he would applaud my ideas of bringing in late night business or bettering myself as a human being. I quickly got over that, but, whatever, I received the Ok that I needed to get things moving, and that was plenty for me.
I picked a date. Would anyone really show up?
I didn't want to simply have a price tag on my art, it seemed way to final for me. Like for example, what if some guy came in to my exhibit and saw a cool painting priced at $100, wrote me a check, took it off the wall, and was on his way home, but passed another guy walking in and he saw the painting in the guys hand and said, "Whoa, i would have paid way more then $100 for that piece of art." I would have said, "DOH!"
In any event, (cue the Wyman) I came up with the idea to hold a silent auction where people can bid on my paintings. How? I am not quite sure. But, I googled it, and low and behold, "how to run a silent auction" popped right on up. I took googles advice, because google knows everything, and begun finalizing my fundraiser.
It hasn't happened yet, so i cant tell you how it worked out, but if you still want to go, and support me, I would be honored.
This is how it is going to go down.
My art will be on display at the Vermont Pub and Brewery from 7-10pm on February 21st. Its going to be Silent Auction style so there is going to be a minimum bid (+/- $150) , and at the end of the auction, the art will go to the highest bidder. There will be snacks and a donation box available if you do not want to take part in the Auction. When i figure out how to post pictures of my paintings on the blog, I will, but until then some of the paintings available are on my Facebook page.
I have never done anything like this before, so any feedback would be helpful.
Everyone has been super supportive and I forever thank you. Except for Jay Carlson, because he continues to make very bad ivory jokes.
The selling of the art, however... non-existent. The majority of the people who know me didn't know I painted in the first place (not sure how that slipped by). I have never had an art show. I am not featured at City Market, or Penny Cluse. Mmm herb gravy.
In an overwhelming "duh" moment, I realized that no one was going to buy a painting of mine (#13 on my "Just do it" List), thus never being able to cross that off my list, if my paintings are collecting dust in my locked apartment. Also, no one else is going to have an art show for me... so it looks like i gotta do it myself.
One thing led to another, and I decided I would use my trip to South Africa and my exhibit to promote it, as a stepping stone into the Local Burlington Art World. I had to also think about the progression of my life when I returned from South Africa.
First things first. I called the Bob (Steve Pole Waxer "the boss") to run my idea by him. My POA was to mentioned the lack of business on Sunday nights, my pathetic need to eventually "dip my toe in" the art world water, and capitalize on the fact that he wouldn't have to do anything. I deep down hoped that he would applaud my ideas of bringing in late night business or bettering myself as a human being. I quickly got over that, but, whatever, I received the Ok that I needed to get things moving, and that was plenty for me.
I picked a date. Would anyone really show up?
I didn't want to simply have a price tag on my art, it seemed way to final for me. Like for example, what if some guy came in to my exhibit and saw a cool painting priced at $100, wrote me a check, took it off the wall, and was on his way home, but passed another guy walking in and he saw the painting in the guys hand and said, "Whoa, i would have paid way more then $100 for that piece of art." I would have said, "DOH!"
In any event, (cue the Wyman) I came up with the idea to hold a silent auction where people can bid on my paintings. How? I am not quite sure. But, I googled it, and low and behold, "how to run a silent auction" popped right on up. I took googles advice, because google knows everything, and begun finalizing my fundraiser.
It hasn't happened yet, so i cant tell you how it worked out, but if you still want to go, and support me, I would be honored.
This is how it is going to go down.
My art will be on display at the Vermont Pub and Brewery from 7-10pm on February 21st. Its going to be Silent Auction style so there is going to be a minimum bid (+/- $150) , and at the end of the auction, the art will go to the highest bidder. There will be snacks and a donation box available if you do not want to take part in the Auction. When i figure out how to post pictures of my paintings on the blog, I will, but until then some of the paintings available are on my Facebook page.
I have never done anything like this before, so any feedback would be helpful.
Everyone has been super supportive and I forever thank you. Except for Jay Carlson, because he continues to make very bad ivory jokes.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Calculation Malfunction
With the help of google, and my extremely talented and beautiful cousin, Jenna Hernandez, I found a a program in South Africa volunteering on a Wildlife Reserve through this company GeoVisions. The program itself costs around three thousand dollars and that didn't include airfare. (just to let you know the flight from Heathrow to Johannesburg is the second longest recorded flight only being beat by the flight from Heathrow to Sydney Australia). Big Bucks. Who would have thought volunteering would be so damn expensive?
Since I had just returned from Belize my bank account was already struggling, but i knew that if i put this trip off any longer, I wouldn't go and instead chase something shiny going in the other direction. Pick up shifts and get re-consumed by restaurant life. Plus it was Christmas time so i had to buy everyone super special Belizean presents and myself a huge vase with a lizard on it. Its a really cool vase.
So, I came up with this formula to see if i would have enough money to go on the trip, trying to take into account, rent, bills, car payments, cell phone etc. Long story short. There was a calculation malfunction and i neglected to take into account the fact that it is WINTER, and although i praise the dedication of some of the alcoholics at the bar, they would have to duplicate at an alarming rate to create the clientele of a standard beautiful busy and lucrative summer Friday night.
Doh!
I was talking to Kirki Lurkey Turkey Pants about this at the bar and he tried to give me money. I didn't feel right about taking his money. I mean a ten dollar tip is one thing, but a check with my name on it? I fake sobbed and repeated over and over again... I... want... to ..... follow.... my .... dreams.....
Thats when it hit me. I have more then one dream. And if one dream can help another dream come true, well then, thats pretty much the coolest damn dream I have ever heard of.
Since I had just returned from Belize my bank account was already struggling, but i knew that if i put this trip off any longer, I wouldn't go and instead chase something shiny going in the other direction. Pick up shifts and get re-consumed by restaurant life. Plus it was Christmas time so i had to buy everyone super special Belizean presents and myself a huge vase with a lizard on it. Its a really cool vase.
So, I came up with this formula to see if i would have enough money to go on the trip, trying to take into account, rent, bills, car payments, cell phone etc. Long story short. There was a calculation malfunction and i neglected to take into account the fact that it is WINTER, and although i praise the dedication of some of the alcoholics at the bar, they would have to duplicate at an alarming rate to create the clientele of a standard beautiful busy and lucrative summer Friday night.
Doh!
I was talking to Kirki Lurkey Turkey Pants about this at the bar and he tried to give me money. I didn't feel right about taking his money. I mean a ten dollar tip is one thing, but a check with my name on it? I fake sobbed and repeated over and over again... I... want... to ..... follow.... my .... dreams.....
Thats when it hit me. I have more then one dream. And if one dream can help another dream come true, well then, thats pretty much the coolest damn dream I have ever heard of.
The Travel Bug Strikes again and its name is Belize.
I wanted to do something special for my 26th birthday. Something a little more meaningful then trying to drink 25 beers like the year before. My best friend Melissa Wyman (who from here on out will be referred to as Wyman, the Wyman, or unless I am lazy or slightly intoxicated, her name may shorten to a more simple W) and I wanted to get out of dodge, thats Burlington, Vermont, and spend some of our hard earned bartending money on a trip somewhere, anywhere, as a last hoorah in 2009. For me the trip also symbolized the end of a quarter century of my life, and the beginning of a whole new life i had yet to create.
Wyman and I had been talking about traveling outside of Vermont the entire summer of 2009, mostly while laying next to each other at the beach. We talked about the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Bahamas, even Morocco for potential placed for us to crash, but none of those placed really hit the “fuzzy, I must experience this place before I die kinda feeling.”
Our friend Kate recommended Belize. Our friend Mandy and she had been there last year with Kates parents, who run a study abroad program in San Ignacio, Belize. We looked into it.
Belize had everything we wanted, adventures in the green jungles, wild animals (T), history and archeology (W), rockin’ nightlife, and islands with white sandy beaches. The main language in Belize is English, so we wouldn’t have to worry about any language barrier. The Guatemalan border was only a few hours away, so we could visit the Mayan Ruins on a day trip. Seemed well rounded, safe, even for a third world country, and completely feasible financially.
On November 3rd, we decided we HAD to go to Belize, and not even twenty four hours later, we had booked our flight out of Burlington for December 2, 2009- December 10, 2009. And this is how we do. Happy Birthday to Tara and Happy New Year to both of us!
My pre-trip birthday celebration was amazing. My friends are the best. Since we were flying out the day of my birthday, my friends and I celebrated my birthday at midnight on December 1/2. Audrey made me a cake. Wyman got me an idea book (she thinks i am smart). I got a FREE T-NOONS Jagermeister! shirt. Chris gave me gummy peaches. Di a CD. Steezer gave me a Super Special Elvis Happy Birthday Production. And nothing kick flipped me back.
We managed to get to the plane on time. How? Beats me. Vicki rolled us out of the car at the airport and took a few pictures incase we were sold into the Belizian sex slave industry.
I forgot my camera, my license, and my mind back at my apartment. Good thing Wyman had my back, and I pre-packed my passport the night before. Sober Tara even hooked up Drunk Tara by leaving Drunk Tara a note reminding her about the half turkey sandwich in the fridge.
On the plane, at 6:30am, I drank $5 mini bottles of wine next to businessmen and made fun of everything in sight in my head.
The lady next to me had a dog in her bag! and spoke no English at all. I tried to get her to play Hangman with me. She wrote in “betty” in my four slots. I was kinda pissed because I thought I had a really good word. I mean, who would have guessed the “X” in taxi? I got over my disappointment by convincing myself she was calling me a “Betty” instead of Betty being her first name.
The stewardess and I were tight at that point ‘cuz I am pretty sure I was her best customer. Whenever I ordered another mini wine, she would say, “Be back with that in just one hot second, Sweetie.” LOVED HER.
They said Happy Birthday to me over the intercom and I tried to hide, but I had nowhere to go. And WELCOME TO BELIZE!
I will spare you the intimate details that involve me vomiting on the Tikal Ruins in Guatemala the day after my birthday and going on a boat with a complete stranger, to get to the part when I realized I wanted to change my life and I wanted it to involve helping endangered species.
In the middle of the week, we left San Ignacio in the mainland to head to the Islands of Caye Caulker and Caye Ambergris. There were many starving dogs strolling the streets. It was so sad.
We stopped at the Belize Zoo on the way. The Belize Zoo was started in 1983 when 17 animals were left from the filming of a natural history documentary. Since then the Zoo has grown and now features over 100 animals all indigenous to Belize; many endangered.
The story of the Jaguar, Pat the Cat, really did it for me. I also couldn't help but think about the SNL skit "Whats that? It's Pat."
Pat the Cat was a cattle killer and being tortured by the local towns people. On the brink of death, the people from the Belize Zoo took her in and nursed her back to health. She successfully completed the Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program to learn how to be less aggressive. She passed away two years ago, but not until after she gave birth to a little baby jaguar cub. "Junior" was raised in captivity, is non-releasable, and has become a very important "education jaguar." His role is of a jaguar ambassador and addresses the important subject of jaguar conservation. There is a collage of his life near his cage at the zoo with a picture of him hugging his trainer like a a baby would hug his mother.
I thought of Cooper. I thought of being a mother. I thought of Cooper. I realized I wanted to stick to animals and looked into an internship at the Belize Zoo. Kids freak my out anyway. Knowing that I could never bring Cooper back and forth with me to Belize, began thinking of other ways I could travel and save animals at the same time. And what animals did I want to work with? With no real strings attached in my life, now would be the best time to do this sort of thing, and if i didn't take advantage of this opportunity, I knew it would haunt me forever. Thats a little dramatic. But I knew for sure i would regret it.
Belize lit the fire under my ass to get moving again. I always thought I had more to offer the world then a micro brew and a burger, but didn't know what it was until this experience at the zoo. I convinced myself that although the fast paced, work hard, play hard attitude of the restaurant business is a fun and noble way to make a living, its not the only fun and noble way to make a living. I was ready for a new challenge. And I didn't want it to involve Fish N Chips.
Wyman and I had been talking about traveling outside of Vermont the entire summer of 2009, mostly while laying next to each other at the beach. We talked about the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Bahamas, even Morocco for potential placed for us to crash, but none of those placed really hit the “fuzzy, I must experience this place before I die kinda feeling.”
Our friend Kate recommended Belize. Our friend Mandy and she had been there last year with Kates parents, who run a study abroad program in San Ignacio, Belize. We looked into it.
Belize had everything we wanted, adventures in the green jungles, wild animals (T), history and archeology (W), rockin’ nightlife, and islands with white sandy beaches. The main language in Belize is English, so we wouldn’t have to worry about any language barrier. The Guatemalan border was only a few hours away, so we could visit the Mayan Ruins on a day trip. Seemed well rounded, safe, even for a third world country, and completely feasible financially.
On November 3rd, we decided we HAD to go to Belize, and not even twenty four hours later, we had booked our flight out of Burlington for December 2, 2009- December 10, 2009. And this is how we do. Happy Birthday to Tara and Happy New Year to both of us!
My pre-trip birthday celebration was amazing. My friends are the best. Since we were flying out the day of my birthday, my friends and I celebrated my birthday at midnight on December 1/2. Audrey made me a cake. Wyman got me an idea book (she thinks i am smart). I got a FREE T-NOONS Jagermeister! shirt. Chris gave me gummy peaches. Di a CD. Steezer gave me a Super Special Elvis Happy Birthday Production. And nothing kick flipped me back.
We managed to get to the plane on time. How? Beats me. Vicki rolled us out of the car at the airport and took a few pictures incase we were sold into the Belizian sex slave industry.
I forgot my camera, my license, and my mind back at my apartment. Good thing Wyman had my back, and I pre-packed my passport the night before. Sober Tara even hooked up Drunk Tara by leaving Drunk Tara a note reminding her about the half turkey sandwich in the fridge.
On the plane, at 6:30am, I drank $5 mini bottles of wine next to businessmen and made fun of everything in sight in my head.
The lady next to me had a dog in her bag! and spoke no English at all. I tried to get her to play Hangman with me. She wrote in “betty” in my four slots. I was kinda pissed because I thought I had a really good word. I mean, who would have guessed the “X” in taxi? I got over my disappointment by convincing myself she was calling me a “Betty” instead of Betty being her first name.
The stewardess and I were tight at that point ‘cuz I am pretty sure I was her best customer. Whenever I ordered another mini wine, she would say, “Be back with that in just one hot second, Sweetie.” LOVED HER.
They said Happy Birthday to me over the intercom and I tried to hide, but I had nowhere to go. And WELCOME TO BELIZE!
I will spare you the intimate details that involve me vomiting on the Tikal Ruins in Guatemala the day after my birthday and going on a boat with a complete stranger, to get to the part when I realized I wanted to change my life and I wanted it to involve helping endangered species.
In the middle of the week, we left San Ignacio in the mainland to head to the Islands of Caye Caulker and Caye Ambergris. There were many starving dogs strolling the streets. It was so sad.
We stopped at the Belize Zoo on the way. The Belize Zoo was started in 1983 when 17 animals were left from the filming of a natural history documentary. Since then the Zoo has grown and now features over 100 animals all indigenous to Belize; many endangered.
The story of the Jaguar, Pat the Cat, really did it for me. I also couldn't help but think about the SNL skit "Whats that? It's Pat."
Pat the Cat was a cattle killer and being tortured by the local towns people. On the brink of death, the people from the Belize Zoo took her in and nursed her back to health. She successfully completed the Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program to learn how to be less aggressive. She passed away two years ago, but not until after she gave birth to a little baby jaguar cub. "Junior" was raised in captivity, is non-releasable, and has become a very important "education jaguar." His role is of a jaguar ambassador and addresses the important subject of jaguar conservation. There is a collage of his life near his cage at the zoo with a picture of him hugging his trainer like a a baby would hug his mother.
I thought of Cooper. I thought of being a mother. I thought of Cooper. I realized I wanted to stick to animals and looked into an internship at the Belize Zoo. Kids freak my out anyway. Knowing that I could never bring Cooper back and forth with me to Belize, began thinking of other ways I could travel and save animals at the same time. And what animals did I want to work with? With no real strings attached in my life, now would be the best time to do this sort of thing, and if i didn't take advantage of this opportunity, I knew it would haunt me forever. Thats a little dramatic. But I knew for sure i would regret it.
Belize lit the fire under my ass to get moving again. I always thought I had more to offer the world then a micro brew and a burger, but didn't know what it was until this experience at the zoo. I convinced myself that although the fast paced, work hard, play hard attitude of the restaurant business is a fun and noble way to make a living, its not the only fun and noble way to make a living. I was ready for a new challenge. And I didn't want it to involve Fish N Chips.
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