You have to read the title of this post like they would say it at a tourist luau... it makes it much better.
Well, I have arrived in Hawaii. I hope I didn't forget anything, but if I did, it is too late now! The flights were good, not a lot of turbulence or anything. The only hang up was in St Louis when trying to board the plane. Let's just say if I have the option, I will NEVER fly with American Airlines again. I already have my ticket booked for going back or I would say never starting now.
In the 8 or more trips I have made to Hawaii I have done my research and found that you are allowed a carry-on item, a personal item, and if you read the fine print, an additional bag of photography equipment. Those who know me know I own a digital SLR and a bag which it goes in. It is about lunch box size I would say, like 8x12x10 ish. So, when flying I bring my camera bag, my back pack, and my roller carry-on bag. Never have I had problems before. If anything I usually volunteer to plane side check my roller just cause I don't really have to have it with me and it is a squeeze on some air craft to get it in the bin thing. The back pack and camera go at my feet.
This time apparently I was informed that this extra bag of photography equipment is in place of a carry-on, not additional. And also, this has always been the policy. I would like to know how I have done it so many times to be stopped once. So, I ask if I can plane side check my roller bag. All the other airlines slap a tag on it, some send it to baggage claim, others bring it back to the gate, but it has always been free. You plane side check it with the strollers and such.
American Airlines will instead, treat this has another checked bag and will charge you. Mind you, I already checked a bag for $25 and one for $35 so this third one would run me $150. That's right, a bag that will fit in an overhead bin and can be put with the strollers and taken off with the strollers will cost me $150. Obviously that is not an option so I ask about having one bag connected to another, nope. But if I can get one to fit inside another it will work. So, rather than letting me on with three easy to carry and store bags I went on with a roller bag packed to the point of almost sitting on it and a back pack with my camera bag hanging out of because I cannot get it zipped. I might also add that in order for the stuff to fit in the roller I had to expand it... this means it doesn't fit nicely anymore in the bin. Needless to say when I got to my seat I smashed the roller bag into an overhead bin, removed the camera bag from the back pack, zipped the bag shut and stored them both under the seat in front of me. When I transferred flights I clipped my camera bag to my backpack and nobody said a word.
Otherwise, I am as settled in as I will be for the night. I have my own toilet and sink in my room but will be sharing a shower with one of my friends from when I was here. I'll call him B. I am also staying with S and C. S I lived with in my last year of college. I had been friends with B and introduced him to our other roomie and after they started dating, S dated B's roomie, C. If you followed that you get a gold star! More about Hawaii to come, but now I must get some sleep. I have to run to campus tomorrow to do paper work and meetings and such before I start teaching Tuesday.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
When Everything Breaks Loose at Once!
I have not posted in awhile now because I have been CRAZY busy. Let's see... I substituted a few more days before the schools in the area closed for the summer, I worked a lot and crazy different hours, I went to visit my bf's parents before leaving for Hawaii, I went to Branson with the bf to house sit for someone, and now I am back and planning a party. I work today, am putting together a bachelorette/bridal shower party for a friend who got married quickly and it is tomorrow!!! Going simple, cheap, and easy though so it shouldn't be too bad. This weekend I am also dog sitting and packing for when I leave for Hawaii on Wednesday!!! Have I started packing??? No.
Oh, and on top of all this, I had an interview and accepted a job offer to move to the Rocky Mountains. I will be the only science teacher at a high school in a small town at around 8,800 feet in Colorado! I am excited, stressed, worried, and all sorts of things. But, I don't have time to deal with that yet, I have to make it to Hawaii before I can worry about Colorado.
As far as my resolutions. I have held on to the ones that I have made pretty much so far. I did make an AMAZING chocolate cake and will be making another for the party tomorrow. As far as making new ones? That is a little bit on hold. I have way too many things to be doing and so far, organization is my only new resolution for the next few months. Traveling, teaching, moving, planning and all that are going to try my organizational skills to the max!
Oh, and on top of all this, I had an interview and accepted a job offer to move to the Rocky Mountains. I will be the only science teacher at a high school in a small town at around 8,800 feet in Colorado! I am excited, stressed, worried, and all sorts of things. But, I don't have time to deal with that yet, I have to make it to Hawaii before I can worry about Colorado.
As far as my resolutions. I have held on to the ones that I have made pretty much so far. I did make an AMAZING chocolate cake and will be making another for the party tomorrow. As far as making new ones? That is a little bit on hold. I have way too many things to be doing and so far, organization is my only new resolution for the next few months. Traveling, teaching, moving, planning and all that are going to try my organizational skills to the max!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Week 19: No More Fries
This week it has been hard to come up with something to do for a resolution. I am still excited at how well last week's is going with the budget that Sunday came up on me quick! Today I went to work out with my friend that I used to work out with daily last summer. Our schedules are finally aligned and we have time, but I am also leaving in a few weeks so it will not last. But, in our discussions she told me her goal was to eat healthier (just after she informed me that since she went for a run she could drink beer). She is not going on a diet though, just eating healthier. I told her that it is a lot easier to just start cutting out foods one at a time, not eating things that are bad. She does not want to restrict her self from things, but limit how much she eats of the bad stuff.
To this I have to say, she does not want it bad enough. I think she reads this blog, and I will find out soon I am sure, but it is the same thing I think about anyone who says they just cannot stick to a diet. I figured out the other day that it has been a year and a half since I last touched a soda. And it had been about a year before I touched that one. They make me sick to my stomach and feel like crap for days! I did not like feeling like that and so I put my foot down and stopped drinking them. I wanted it bad enough that I have not had another one and do not even crave them anymore.
I gave up processed sugar. I am currently remembering why I did since I cheated and had a snack sized Oreo McFlurry tonight and my stomach is so upset I feel like I want to puke it up... But people tell me all the time when I pass on coleslaw, or cookies, or cake, or candy, or barbeque sauce, that they would never be able to do it. Yes, you can, you just do not want to like I do not want to give up ice cream. I Miss My Collar Bone wrote about this the other day too and I have to agree with her about the fact that you could do all this too!
Slowly I am working my way to doing a Whole30 program like Paleo Girl (whom I went to high school with!) But I know I am not ready. It is not that I cannot stick to the plan and all that, it is the fact that I have a crazy obsession with bread, cheese, corn, and fruit that I am not ready to give these things up yet. Instead tonight I ate my last french fries. They were nasty, fake ones from McDonalds. I say fake ones because how many of you have lost fries in the car and when you find them days, weeks, or months later they still look the same??? Or... have you ever seen this experiment???
To this I have to say, she does not want it bad enough. I think she reads this blog, and I will find out soon I am sure, but it is the same thing I think about anyone who says they just cannot stick to a diet. I figured out the other day that it has been a year and a half since I last touched a soda. And it had been about a year before I touched that one. They make me sick to my stomach and feel like crap for days! I did not like feeling like that and so I put my foot down and stopped drinking them. I wanted it bad enough that I have not had another one and do not even crave them anymore.
I gave up processed sugar. I am currently remembering why I did since I cheated and had a snack sized Oreo McFlurry tonight and my stomach is so upset I feel like I want to puke it up... But people tell me all the time when I pass on coleslaw, or cookies, or cake, or candy, or barbeque sauce, that they would never be able to do it. Yes, you can, you just do not want to like I do not want to give up ice cream. I Miss My Collar Bone wrote about this the other day too and I have to agree with her about the fact that you could do all this too!
Slowly I am working my way to doing a Whole30 program like Paleo Girl (whom I went to high school with!) But I know I am not ready. It is not that I cannot stick to the plan and all that, it is the fact that I have a crazy obsession with bread, cheese, corn, and fruit that I am not ready to give these things up yet. Instead tonight I ate my last french fries. They were nasty, fake ones from McDonalds. I say fake ones because how many of you have lost fries in the car and when you find them days, weeks, or months later they still look the same??? Or... have you ever seen this experiment???
Mcdonalds Food - More amazing videos are a click away
Those cannot be "real" fries... My favorite are actually Wendy's fries, but no more... No more fries for me. They are horrible things that are made out of starchy veggies and deep fried in crap.
Those cannot be "real" fries... My favorite are actually Wendy's fries, but no more... No more fries for me. They are horrible things that are made out of starchy veggies and deep fried in crap.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Week 18: Budget
As I posted a few days ago this week's resolution is to stick to a budget. So far I've been really good about it. I have actually been weening myself into this one so I slipped a few times, but so far this week it has been going smoothly. I am kind of excited and pumped that I have a plan now. I am one to be all about plans even if they do not go as smoothly, I typically have a back up.
Speaking of plans, diet... I need to plan a better diet and focus on my portion sizes a little better. I think I am going to ease my way into my workout and diet journal for next week. It may be a little challenging since I just got tickets to go to my cousin's wedding. With the cost of gas to and from the airport and all that if I cannot hitch a ride, it will still be about even with what I would spend driving on my own only I will save a few hundred miles on my car and my sanity. A couple hours on a plane is better than all day in a car.
But, this will be a diet problem for the fact that I am going to Grandma's. You know the grandma who always has baked goods and all sorts of things that are bad for you on hand to feed you the whole time... she is kind of like that. So, I am going to have to struggle to not eat my weight in sugar and crap while I am there. This summer I did really good with no sugar until I went to visit her at the cabin for a week with my sis. Self restraint will be tested to the max!
Also, EVERYONE should check out this video! I am really really glad that I have switched the majority of my products to safer ones from a company who has never put potentially harmful ingredients in their products and are trying to help reduce the abuse to the planet.
Speaking of plans, diet... I need to plan a better diet and focus on my portion sizes a little better. I think I am going to ease my way into my workout and diet journal for next week. It may be a little challenging since I just got tickets to go to my cousin's wedding. With the cost of gas to and from the airport and all that if I cannot hitch a ride, it will still be about even with what I would spend driving on my own only I will save a few hundred miles on my car and my sanity. A couple hours on a plane is better than all day in a car.
But, this will be a diet problem for the fact that I am going to Grandma's. You know the grandma who always has baked goods and all sorts of things that are bad for you on hand to feed you the whole time... she is kind of like that. So, I am going to have to struggle to not eat my weight in sugar and crap while I am there. This summer I did really good with no sugar until I went to visit her at the cabin for a week with my sis. Self restraint will be tested to the max!
Also, EVERYONE should check out this video! I am really really glad that I have switched the majority of my products to safer ones from a company who has never put potentially harmful ingredients in their products and are trying to help reduce the abuse to the planet.
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