Being a West Virginian

If you were born and raised in West Virginia or even spent some time here, or love a West Virginian, read this phenomenal post by Michael Powelson. This is going on my "About Me" page permanently.

Miner's Lady; Stranger to Blue Water

It's a good day to be a Mountaineer, for two reasons. First, Huggy Bear (WVU Basketball Coach Bob Huggins) led our gritty, scrappy men's basketball team to their first post season win this year, hopefully on 5 more! How would National Champs be after a Final Four run last year?! Unfathomable for myself and all my fellow fans, it would certainly become a state holiday!

Yes, Jones, we are excited too! 

Secondly, it's good to be a Mountaineer because of this little film project called Angel's Perch. Yes, I know people that are related to this guy, no I don't know him, and no, I am not related, and yes, we have all our teeth. Do you sense the restlessness of the tired jokes? If not, you don't understand what it's like to be West Virginian. We are either relentlessly teased or assumed we are a region of Virginia, written off and nonexistent. 


Of the two, I think I get more angry about the latter, if someone is making fun of me, at least they know I grew up in an actual state. The standard reply on the West Coast/Pacific Islands (which I have lived for 2 + years now) is "Oh yea! I have friends in Richmond." I don't respond when it gets to that point as the ignorance is overbearing. Heck, Richmond isn't even near the region of Western Virginia, so if we were going for that argument even that would fail. 


Alas, let me step off my soap box, and true supporters of West Virginia and our culture of proud, hard working, kind people step up and make a contribution to the Angel's Perch film program on Kick Starter. It's about time we have a positive spin on the people of good ol'West Virginia. 

Green Sea Turtles of Maui

This clip is of several endangered Green Sea Turtles that we snorkeled with off of the Olowalu coast this weekend in Maui. These guys are docile and very used to human with weird masks and fins swimming around them all day. One turtle had several bulbous white growths on his fins and eye lids, he looked quite pitiful and as it turns out the growths are tumors caused by the virus fibropapilloma. Here is a good, quick synopsis of the life of a sea turtle and the problems they are facing. 

Goal: New Recipe a Week

Since cooking is something that I notoriously "hated" so shortly ago and now love with equal fervor I have decided to learn more recipes and cooking techniques.

My latest goal is to make at least one new recipe a week to add to my repertoire of foods I can make and to save Chad and I, both from getting bored with the everyday grind of making meals. I also hope to learn new ways to cook and how to make things even healthier.

I am focusing on dinners right now but may shift to breakfast as toast, eggs over easy, and oatmeal is getting pretty dang old!

I am currently leafing through my own cook books, those borrowed from the public library and my go to recipe site to find some good new recipes and meal ideas. I promise to post any new recipes that I try and find to be delicious!

Quote of the Day

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

~Calvin Coolidge

Favorites- John Katz - Author

The Fear Inducing Media

This guy says what I think with such prose, eloquence, and intention. 

He's good and I love his stories. 

Inspiration: Free and Sweet Valentine Idea

I was looking through the Real Simple website and found this fun way to tell friends, family, and significant others you love them: create a crossword of all the things that mean something in your relationship. It's perfect for all those inside jokes, sweet feelings, and downright funny moments you have shared.