Norway and Tragedy

Cherish here.

Keep your thoughts/prayers with Norway. They need it.

As always after some sort of tragedy I have to wonder if it's alright to write about fun and frivolous adventures in the wake. I have to wonder why the world doesn't care a little more, why time doesn't stop and we keep going and doing exactly the same thing we were doing before, why the events fade immediately in our minds until they're forgotten and happen again. A tendency that is both a saving grace and fatal flaw of the human race; we go on.

Cherish out!

Weather Wimps.

Cherish here!

People around here complain an awful lot about the weather. Things like, "Never thought I'd be wearing sweats and a sweatshirt in July," or "I. Hate. Washington. Weather." And guys, this makes me angry! If they don't like it they can go live somewhere else. They have 49 other options if they want to stay in the country, and from the sound of it, they're all fighting one of the hottest summers on record. Because if it's summer you want you're in the wrong place.
Why? Seattle has had a whopping 78 minutes of summer this year. In a recent article in the Seattle PI, a meteorologist looked at temperatures minute by minute from the UW and found how much summer we have had, basing it on an 80-degrees-or-above scale. 12 minutes on one day and 66 on another. All of our summer in two days. And then people were like, "This is unrealistic, a 75-degrees-or-above scale would be more accurate." Alright, so he measured it off of that leaving us with 18 hours and 48 minutes of summer. Less than a full day when the rest of the country can't get below 75 degrees, day or night.
What have we learned? I am in the perfect place. Oh yes.

Cherish out!

Birthday Parties and Little Blue Boats

Cherish here!

So everyone, my birthday party was saturday! Even better, it was only awkward at first! I've been to a whole lot of birthday parties and usually when you get a bunch of people from different circles you get a lot of awkward conversation and a scarce host/hostess. But not mine! It was great! I got a few cool things even, but that wasn't the important part. The important part was that everyone who came had a brilliant time.
We played Just Dance 2 and we ate food and we acted very much like little kids. Little kids with seventeen years of experience acting like little kids. We played games like Duck, Duck, Goose and Red Rover which has always been a favorite party game of mine. I've never had so much fun at a party I think. And a few friends stayed the night and we watched Osmosis Jones until we fell asleep. Doubtless a wonderful night.

Today was really good too though! I went out on a little blue aluminum boat with my dad for about five hours. It was a blustery day and rain sprinkled off and on, I definitely wore the wrong sweats for the occasion, it was much too cold for thin knee-length cotton. Despite being cold and misty and muddy (we left at low tide) it was really peaceful and nice.
And the birds! Oh my goodness! Everywhere you looked there were herons and bald eagles and osprey. They had built nests all around the slough and were watching for fish and diving all around us. At one point we got so distracted bird watching that we ended up with less than a foot of water beneath us and dragging our propeller! It was pretty unlikely and hilarious. Around five we finally reached the shipwrecked barrier that had been our goal. After I had to get out and tow the boat through biting shallow water barefoot and using the oars to push off the mud to keep going. It was great.

The shipwrecks are really cool. They're used as a water barrier now and if you go out to them you can tie your boat off and climb on them, though it isn't really recommended. They're covered in seaweed and barnacles and have all these holes in them, I was a little worried I was going to fall through, but I survived. And got some really cool photos but even during the short time we were there the water level was rising noticeably. I was definitely wearing the wrong shoes, my old granny shoes have been with me through a lot (I even wore them to prom, but that's a different story) but they're certainly not up to climbing over sharp, slippery boat carcasses. So we'll be heading back pretty soon. There were at least a dozen of them. So much to explore!
I'll leave you with a quote from a favorite movie of mine. "Adventure is out there!" And readers, it's so true. You only have to look a little ways to find an adventure of some sort or another. So grab your sonic screwdriver, hop into your metaphorical TARDIS, and go find it. It'll be worth it.

Cherish out!

Giant Hogweed and the 5th Ave

Cherish here!

I've had a tab open on my computer for a week now and I haven't gotten around to telling you all about it just yet. I apologize because it could save you! Especially if you live in Washington! There's this weed. It's called giant hogweed ( or heracleum mantegzzaianum if you feel up to the task of saying it) and it's on the Washington State Noxious Weed lists as a Class A, meaning you are legally required to destroy it on sight. Scary right?
Right! And it's on that list for a very good reason. If you get the plant's sap on your skin it sensitizes it to UV rays so the next time you're out in the sun the skin can no longer protect itself and is likely to get third degree burns and blisters easily. Especially if you already are more susceptible to sunburn. Does it end there? Oh no, this plant from hell also causes blindness if the sap gets in your eyes.
It has been documented in King County, among other Washington counties, if you're curious all the information is listed at the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board website. There are also reports of it spreading through New York, as well as several other states. Terrible.
    In other news, the 5th Avenue Awards were in early June and once upon a time they sent out their notes before the school year ended, but not this year. I'm quite curious. You see, I was the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz at my school this year. I know, I was adorable. And I'd like to see what they were thinking with their nomination. A certain cast member received an honorable mention. And well, I will keep my thoughts on him to myself, but I want to know what they have to say. Although at this rate I worry that we will never find out.
Regardless of what they say, the show went much better than our all out destruction of the Sound of Music the year before. We're getting better. One of these days we may even win an award. But I doubt it. If you get the chance to see the 5th Ave Awards you'll understand why. They have much bigger budgets I think than we do. And bigger stages. And talented people auditioning. Not that we don't have talent. We just don't have enough to win. Really though. Aren't I an adorable lion?
Cherish out!

Birthdays and Torchwood

Cherish here!

Yesterday was my birthday everybody! I think it was possibly the most lame age there is. At sixteen you get your license and at eighteen you're legal, but seventeen? I can see rated R movies without an adult. How fun. It's just a poorly placed age and rated R movies are the consolation prize. Nonetheless I intend to go see one soon. Because I can, and that's what teenagers are supposed to do, right?
Anyway, I have to be honest, it was a pretty terrible day. I woke up and promptly missed the bus. So I had to drive to school and couldn't participate in the blood drive I was so excited for. I've been sick for most of the past week and I still was not 100% but that's life. The biggest positive was going out to lunch with my dear old friend, Halden. Unfortunately we went to a chinese restaurant and that left me sick for the rest of the night. Is that the worst of it? I wish.
In my math class I got a call from a place I had applied for a job and had a really positive response from the regional director, who promised me an interview. I was so excited! I was getting a call for a job on my birthday! What a present! Turns out it was a, "Sorry, we've changed our minds, no position open." sort of call. On my birthday. And before you think, how could they have known? My birth date was on the paperwork. Which they probably didn't even look at.
So yes. I had a birthday yesterday and it was a splendid fail, bursting into flames like a dying phoenix. Oh well. We live and we learn. But I have happy (well happy if you're me.) things to say too!
I don't know if anyone who reads this (come to think of it, I don't know if anyone reads this anyway) is a fan of Doctor Who. I am though! And I've worked my way through nearly two seasons over the past week and there was a character I was sad to see go; Captain Jack Harkness. Especially with so sad an end. Relax though, readers! There is hope! And really I'm way behind, but I just found the show Torchwood. And secretly I'm liking it so far. We'll see. I'll keep you updated.
Anyway! Have a good rest of the week! I'll try to also.
Cherish out!

Ocean Shores and Sun Poisoning

Cherish here!

I got back from a fantastic trip to Ocean Shores a couple of days ago, and let me tell you! It was beautiful. I go there nearly every summer and I think this was the first time it has been sunny, which is not entirely a good thing, but it made for some beautiful beaches! I could probably fill this whole blog with cliche photographs of the water, but you're not here for that! (And if you are, well, read the prior entries and you'll see you've come to the wrong place.) 

On our trip up there we stopped to eat at this place called The Rusty Tractor, and readers let me tell you, it was really good. Sure the name conjures images of antiquated farm equipment and perhaps a tetanus shot, but it was really a cozy place with walls crammed so full of old baubles they had hung things from the ceiling. The milkshakes weren't the very best, but all the drinks we ordered came with these fantastic little plastic swords stabbed through cherries. Foodwise, it was perhaps the best garden burger I've ever had, I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone. Delicious.

We went to Ocean Shores and did Ocean Shores things, we rode go-karts, went swimming, and rode horses. The horses were probably my favorite part. I had this temperamental ginger horse named Annie. I grew quite fond of her and her ill-behaved ways. She was quite adamant that she should be trotting instead of walking and if I pulled on the reigns to slow her down she would slow to a stop and walk very slowly, despite my polite explanation of what she should do and why what she was doing was incorrect. Annie could not handle the other horses being around her, if she was in the middle of the group she would kick. Despite my efforts to keep her on the edge she always tried to get back into the middle. I've a hunch she just liked kicking the horses and causing trouble.

When I got back to the room that evening all was well, or so I thought. Until I went to scratch my legs and suddenly felt a sharp pain everywhere I had touched. I looked down and saw that parts of my leg were bright red and I was sure I had some sort of rash from the swimming pools and that I was doomed. Not so. In fact I have a severe sunburn on the back of my legs. Before you scoff, allow me to explain. I have not had a real sunburn in years. I apply sunscreen religiously and wear long clothes whenever the sun is out. It didn't occur to me I could have been so careless to have placed my skin (and possibly my life, skin cancer can kill!) in such danger. 

Yet I have. Which brings me to the sun poisoning. According to WebMD sun poisoning is a "severe sunburn. Sun poisoning can also refer to other reactions." The symptoms include; fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea, fever and chills, and dehydration. On top of the burn itself! I have been sick for the past two days with most of these symptoms, so obviously I have been poisoned by the sun, which I take as a personal offense. 

Any way, long story short I have spent the past two days working my way through seasons of Doctor Who (a fantastic show if you've not seen it) which is perhaps responsible for the overuse of the word 'fantastic' in this entry and doing math homework. Lots of fun. I leave you with one more beach photo!

Cherish out!

Zombies and the Fourth!

Cherish here!

So. Saturday was Red, White, and Dead!

 And guys, I hate to say this, but it was the last event I think I'll do and it was terrible. On the positive side, we took the record back! http://culturemob.com/red-white-and-dead-sets-new-zombie-world-record-in-seattle with a whopping 4522 zombies storming Fremont. Unfortunately, it was organized very poorly and I had a miserable experience. I'll tell you why.
The event was supposed to start at 2pm and we got there at 1pm to wait in line. It was the hottest day we've had so far this year, hitting the 80s which meant I was already cranky, and not the only one. We were packed by the hundreds in a street with no shade, like undead sardines, and enthusiasm was definitely going down as the sun blazed and the make-up dripped. It wouldn't have been so bad if they had sold water while we waited, but there was nothing. And to make it worse the security people kept walking down the line with the same announcement over and over again. We were a frustrated, overheated group of zombies and we were getting restless. Then around 2pm a man went around, apologizing for being late, but telling us they were going to open up in five minutes. Five minutes later they told us three minutes. Then two. Then five again. Until it was 2:30pm and we were ready to tear down the rope.
But we waited a few more minutes and they let us in. This was the only well organized and quick part. We went through a gate, gave a woman five dollars, and got our picture taken. Last year there was some doubt as to how many people showed up and how many actually got counted (supposedly there were more there than were accounted for.) So this year they took everybody's photo, just one of each person and really quick. Genius.
So we were finally in. The whole event is supposed to take place within a t shaped area, but the lower strip was mostly taken up with food vendors, making the place even hotter and the buildings that bordered the area were fenced off, taking away the only available shade. The two "arms" of the t were made into two giant beer gardens. (Last year there was a big problem with zombies showing up drunk and causing trouble. Family event? I think not.) The beer gardens had all of the shade. At the head of the strip was a stage on which nothing was happening despite the promise of several  bands performing. Did I mention there was no shade?
With so much alcohol readily available and poor organization, there was little else for us to do but leave. After waiting in line for an hour and a half and spending a whole ten minutes in the venue. What a waste. I'm honestly disappointed by the whole event. I won't be doing anymore zombie events for a long time, this isn't the first time this organization has failed miserably. (Like last year's solstice parade starring the five zombies who didn't get the memo that the Horde bailed. Oh wait. I was one of them.)

In other news! Happy fourth of July everyone! Try not to lose any appendages! But have fun! Soak up this Seattle sun. Or rather don't. (See http://cherishistheword.blogspot.com/2011/06/dangers-of-washington-and-other.html)

Cherish out!