New Big Island Visitor’s Bureau Pitch: Visit Mordor While You Can
I’d planned something else for the blog today, but let’s try something different… lots of pictures! Yesterday was my wedding anniversary. Yes–thank you, thank you, it is astonishing that my husband could put up with me for this long. In honor of the occasion, we thought we’d have dinner at the Volcano House and check out the lava while we were there. The Kilauea lava lake is visible from the Jaggar Museum for the first time since 2008, and the front page of the local paper has had fantastic pictures of it rising to just a few feet below the vent’s rim. So, Read more…
Fading Vacation (and Book Launch) Scars
It’s a sad day when you notice that the boogie boarding scab from your vacation is gone. Sorry—was that TMI for everyone who doesn’t work in a medical field? My 13 year-old niece gave me lessons. I’m afraid I wasn’t a very good student, perpetually raking my knee across the sandy bottom in the shallows, trying to ride a little bit of water foam on a bent piece of synthetic foam, but it was fun. I even caught an almost-wave my last day out that made me whoop in a manner she would have approved of, if she hadn’t already Read more…
That’s Why You Don’t Leave the House: Vacation Interlopers
My husband and I just got back from a couple of weeks on the mainland. Florida, to be more precise. Not Tallahassee, but close-ish to Sydney’s childhood home. Not that this trip was anything about Sydney; it was about seeing our families. But it is hard not to think in terms of Sydney’s context anytime I set foot in Florida. We had a good visit, one that can’t even be marred by the fact that travel has become such a monumental pain in the ass. I was going to treat you (ha-ha) to a mini-rant on the subject, but the Read more…
Magpie Moments: Of Course She’s Talking About Food Again
You may have noticed that I have—I mean, Sydney has—a thing about food. Okay, so most of the food on my blog has shown up in my Magpie Moments, bits of Sydney’s world that I snatched and repurposed from real life (bad iced tea, no-bake cookies, Italian restaurants, and coffee shops; but the fried corn nuggets were all me). I guess that means we both have a thing about food. It was only a matter of time before I made my way to donuts. “You want to get something to eat?” I asked. We’d had toast with our coffee, but it would Read more…
The Audiobook Rabbithole, and Reader Poll: What do You Think Sydney Sounds Like?
You know those 10-minute limbos? The lulls when you’ve got something else scheduled soon so you don’t really have enough time to start a real project? Those times are dangerous. During a recent one I thought, eh, I’ll just check out ACX. ACX is an Amazon platform that distributes audiobooks, primarily through Amazon and Audible, but also through iTunes. Checking out audiobooks is one of the things on my list for this year. I love the idea of people listening to Sydney’s adventures on their commutes or while ironing or torturing themselves at the gym. (Maybe because I do none Read more…
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