Hello Beautiful People!
How are you doing on this fantastic day?
I am feeling very ramble-y right now and I don't feel like packing, so I'm going to ramble at you.
I've been watching Marvel's Agent's of SHIELD since it began in the fall. Can I take a moment to point out how frustrating it is to never know if it is going to be on when you want it to be? I love the show. All of the characters have grown on me as the show has progressed, even Ward. I absolutely adore Agent Coulson (He is the reason for the show IMHO) and I think there should be more about Fury and the Agency in general. I get so frustrated when I turn on my TV on Tuesday nights and... it's the bachelor?!? Say what? Where's my Marvel fix? I need it! Last night I ended up watching The Avengers (again) and loved it (again), but I was really looking forward to a re-run, if not a new episode. Next week there is a new episode, and I can't wait to find out what happened to Skye. Coulson is so quietly kick-butt and suit ninja that he should get awards for being so awesomely non-descript.
On a completely unrelated note: I have a bruise on my left knee from hitting it on the seat in front of me on the plane ride back to New Orleans. Seriously! And, because I'm a klutz and our dishwasher door hinge is broken, I totally dropped the door on my left shin, so I look like I have fallen down a staircase or something. Also, it is not ok to ask people if they realize they have bruises all over their legs. Yes, I noticed. Yes, they have been there for a while. Yes, they are going away. No, I don't have a blood problem. No, it's not because I'm a vegan. I have always bruised easily and darkly because my skin is very pale. I get really frustrated when people comment on my bruises. I run into tables, chairs, doors, car doors, bath tubs, and (apparently) dishwashers on a regular basis. I am super distractible. I don't always watch where I'm going. This is why I keep twisting and spraining my ankles. So, please stop commenting on my bruised legs. I know they are there. I don't need reminding.
I am heading up to North Carolina over Mardi Gras and I'm super excited about finally getting to drive my own car again instead of my Dad's. While I'm up there, I hope to do some hiking, so don't be surprised if I am walking more in the next few Walk to Mordor updates. I also will try to take more pictures and post them. I love taking pictures of nature. It is one of the things I absolutely adore about being in North Carolina. Our house is pretty far away from town and it is nice to listen to the frogs, crickets, cicadas, deer, and raccoons as they go about their daily lives. It is super scary when you hear coyotes, wolves, and bears going about their lives, so I try not to listen too hard for them. Or maybe listen hard and make a hasty retreat in the other direction. I love taking pictures of flowers and trees up close. I love the textures and they way light dapples on organic matter through a tree canopy. I hope one day to get a nice camera and take pictures with that, but at the moment, I just have my camera phone and an old camera from a few years ago that drains batteries in an hour.
Hiking is something my family does together and has done for as long as I can remember. I'm not very good at it, and I don't always find it particularly fun, but I do enjoy the view from the top of a mountain. And nothing feels better than sucking cold crisp mountain air into your lungs after a steep hike up a rocky slope with the wind at your back and the sun on your face. I hope to get in better shape in the summer to be able to hike some day hikes on the Appalachian trail. We have done some short stints before, but not in recent years, and I would greatly enjoy trying them again. The two things that can make a nice hike turn into a nightmare are blisters and thunderstorms. Anything else you encounter is just a blip in the bigger scheme of things. Blisters can absolutely destroy a hike. They are usually caused by 3 things:
1. New shoes. Always make sure you have broken in your shoes around the house and on shorter walks before taking them on a 7 mile hike.
2. Ill fitting shoes/ socks. If your foot moves up and down in your shoe against the heel, you will get a blister, no matter how thick your hiking socks may be. The same goes with socks. If they are loose enough to cause material to wad up at the toe or heel, you will get blisters. Wear a double layer of socks to prevent blisters: thin close to your foot, thick as an outer sock. (this is what I do for ballet instead of taping my toes).
3. Walking too much without proper preparation. If you decide one day to walk 25 miles when you have only ever walk 5 miles in a day prior to this decision, you will have blisters by the end of the day (if you make it to the end of the day... 25 miles is tough). In ballet, we rub our toes with rubbing alcohol to create a tougher skin barrier on places that would normally get blisters. These tough skin patches are not pretty to look at, but they also aren't a bloody mess when you take your shoes off at the end of the day.
Ways to help if you have blisters on a hike: band aids, moleskin, and pain killer.
Thunderstorms. They will kill your hike. You don't want to be on an exposed cliff when lightning and 50 mph winds are scaring you to death. Try to hike early in the day during the summer so you won't get caught in daily afternoon storms. Carry a poncho with you or a tarp to cover your pack. Carry extra socks and shoes and a change of clothes and towels in your car for when you return. You don't want to be driving an hour with squelchy shoes and mud seeping into your car's leather seats. Also, those with lower body fat percentages need to make sure they regulate their body temperature so as not to get hypothermic.
So. I am excited about being in North Carolina this next week. I'm a little sad that I'll be missing my time at the gym with Meagan, but I will be back soon enough. Talking about Meagan... Meagan started a blog everybody! Go check it out here! She is going to chronicle her journey to her black belt. I can't wait to read more!
Also, I started a tumblr. I usually reblog things about veganism and recipes. Feel free to check it out. I have found some fun pictures of animals and trees on there as well. Maybe I'll post some of my own!
That's it for now. I really do have to go pack for my trip. Let me know what you think about my rambles and blog posts in general. I would love some feedback so I know what to talk about in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment