The House That Built Me

It doesn't take too many experiences in life for one to realize that life is seemingly short.

It's a workshop journey of ups and downs of dramatically varying degrees for each soul.

I truly wish to stop placating my useless fears-including worries and insecurities (which are all fear).

My life is fresh and with meaning, like the cool sweet air of Georgia pines, the thrill of winding Virginia roads, the discovery of vultures on tombstones, the communing with strangers on college pavements, the joy of bats under street lights, and the true and deep happiness in all of my relationships.

Yes fear, I have been scared of changing. I have built my life around you & I am starting to see why.

I must let you go and know that I will be fine.

I shall preserve throughout this existence into whatever journey I take elsewhere.

It doesn't matter if I will lay sleeping, waking or no more.

It matters only that I do not care for these worries and only care about the love and joy I have right now.

I will always have things to work through, but my name is Amanda and I can do it as long as I try.

Memorial Day, cajun style

It was fantastic!

Passing out after some yoga Sunday night around 10:00 ended up getting my body to wake around 5 a.m. this morning.

Otto and I laid there and made plans to see the sunrise on the roof.

While figuring out through weather.com when the sun would rise, I learned that civil twilight is not only a band from Cape Town, Africa, but the brightest part of twilight before dawn.

The sunrise was gorgeous on the cityscape & then we planned for breakfast.

Last year, Berkley, Lori & Mary came down to visit. They stayed in a cute hotel in the Quarter and across from it was a delicious patisserie, Croussant D'or.

Otto and I had planned to visit again, but they were either closed or we couldn't get the day together to go.

So, after the roof sunrise, we headed into the Quarter and had a relaxing, yummy breakfast with pastries, yummy chai & orangina.

After breakfast, it was deep into the Bayou.

Beautiful Louisiana swamp country, from New Orleans into Terrebonne parish, down Bull Run Road to arrive at Munson's Swamp Tours.

Cher, it was great!

Gators, coons, vultures,frogs, owls, cypress, reeds, mosquito & catfish, and all sorts of other water fowl.

After a two hour two filled with gator feedings, we were getting a little hungry ourselves.

We headed off to Houma,LA for our own bite at Boudreau & Thibadeau's Cajun cooking. Local charbroiled oysters, homemade gumbo & crisp, cold abita beers. Mmmm hmmm!! They even had "Swamp People" playing in the background!

With our tummy tanks filled, we loaded up in our cruise ship truck,country music and a 30 minute drive back into Nawlins.

Now here was one of my favorite moments.

3:00, sun shining, the apartment clean, a full day in the swamp and a beautiful bed & bear to snuggle in.

We ended up sleeping till 8:00.

Now we're showered and relaxing with "Swamp People" on our Netflix instant watch. It's pretty cool to watch a show that is happening around 30 minutes away from you.

Sweet, beautiful, swampy Louisiana. Man, I love it!

The day also brought talks of the future: how much we enjoy being together & how to plan for more of that, future ideas for work. and always enjoying the moment.

Another chunk of action: Otto got a new tattoo! It's Edgar Allan Poe inspired & Ramone (Otto's tatt artist) did a great job. I'm looking forward to well...looking at it a lot : ).

This last week was real good: Taylor started training and starts work this week, we had some beautiful days of weather, animals were doing great and I had my second public yoga experience and worked out 5 days like I planned!! My body is feeling real strong & flexible, not too shabby.

Also! Otto and I have a new chiropractor: Dr. Mike! He's very nice & reminds us a lot of Stephen in the way he practices-a good sign.

Alright, it's off to wonder when the new season of True Blood will start and enjoy my three day weekend.

Here's to swamps, days with Otto and love love love.

Cat burglars in New York City

I'm in my beautiful studio bed, surrounded by cats, a pipping hot cup of community coffee, a mini everything bagel with hot creamy butter and a day planned with very little.

One of my all time weekend joys is having breakfast in bed. There's nothing like; the sheer delight in just sitting in bed with all my necessities and not worrying about getting dressed for work or any other busy morning rituals.

So evidently, I've been to New York City this morning. While there, I wanted to get 611.68 worth of goodies at the Best Buy there.

Who knows? I could've purchased several wii games, cds, maybe a washing machine?

I will never know, though, since I didn't go to New York City, my card number was somehow taken by someone else and they had a mini shopping spree.

No need to panic! I was awoken this morning, by the card freud department of Capital One. It was definitely noticeable when you have 50 some purchases in New Orleans and one random buy in New York.

Thankfully, everything should be charged back to my account. It's definitely disturbing, but kudos to the skilled hackers that retrieved my info. Maybe they have more than I know and are living a parallel Magoo life to my own.

New York City was pretty amazing, who wouldn't want to steal away and live there?

Either way, hopefully by end of day all will be returned.

On a sad note, my cat debit card has been canceled. I loved swipping it's little face at stores and seeing it in my wallet. Meow!

Oh well, it's a lesson learned:

use your credit card-cause that's not real money anyway

use cash

but beware using your cat debit card or you might end up with a cat burglar.

Missing cat

I received this email at work a few months ago. I ended up in tears, laughing hysterically, all by myself at my desk.

It was a great moment.

:3 here's to kitty cats & all their wonder.

Read from top to bottom. This is a series of emails being passed between 2 people in an ad agency.

Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was wondering if you are not to busy you could make a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.



This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and about 8 months old. missing on Harper street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
That is shocking news. Luckily I was sitting down when I read your email and not half way up a ladder or tree. How are you holding up? I am surprised you managed to attend work at all what with thinking about Missy out there cold, frightened and alone... possibly lying on the side of the road, her back legs squashed by a vehicle, calling out "Shannon, where are you?"
Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Poster

yeah ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have to leave at 1pm today.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
I never said I don't like cats. Once, having been invited to a party, I went clothes shopping beforehand and bought a pair of expensive G-Star boots. They were two sizes too small but I wanted them so badly I figured I could just wear them without socks and cut my toenails very short. As the party was only a few blocks from my place, I decided to walk. After the first block, I lost all feeling in my feet. Arriving at the party, I stumbled into a guy named Steven, spilling Malibu & coke onto his white Wham 'Choose Life' t-shirt, and he punched me. An hour or so after the incident, Steven sat down in a chair already occupied by a cat. The surprised cat clawed and snarled causing Steven to leap out of the chair, slip on a rug and strike his forehead onto the corner of a speaker; resulting in a two inch open gash. In its shock, the cat also defecated, leaving Steven with a foul stain down the back of his beige cargo pants. I liked that cat.
Attached poster as requested.
Regards, David.



From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking for at all. it looks like a movie and how come the photo of Missy is so small?


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
It's a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.
Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.



From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I don't come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto Facebook and look out of the window. I am willing to overlook this faux pas due to you no doubt being preoccupied with thoughts of Missy attempting to make her way home across busy intersections or being trapped in a drain as it slowly fills with water. I spent three days down a well once but that was just for fun.
I have amended and attached the poster as per your instructions.
Regards, David.





From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say Lost.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster



From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help you. Thanks.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear Shannon,
I don't have a cat. I once agreed to look after a friend's cat for a week but after he dropped it off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter, I kept the cat in a closed cardboard box in the shed and forgot about it. If I wanted to feed something and clean faeces, I wouldn't have put my mother in that home after her stroke. A week later, when my friend came to collect his cat, I pretended that I was not home and mailed the box to him. Apparently I failed to put enough stamps on the package and he had to collect it from the post office and pay eighteen dollars. He still goes on about that sometimes, people need to learn to let go.
I have attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed instructions.
Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange.. I gave you a photo of my cat.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends, it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and says "I haven't seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?" you can politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.

I knew someone who had a basset hound that had its hind legs removed after an accident and it had to walk around with one of those little buggies with wheels. If it had been my dog I would have asked for all its legs to be removed and replaced with wheels and had a remote control installed. I could charge neighbourhood kids for rides and enter it in races. If I did the same with a horse I could drive it to work. I would call it Steven.

Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Please just use the photo I gave you.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww



From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks Shan.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww



From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Can you just please take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies of it.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to do.

Be the foot fungus you wish to see in the world

I'm soaking my feet in warm listerine.

When working outdoors, you end up exposing yourself to many elements. In Louisiana, one of the primary elements is rain and other chores requiring hoses,buckets or liquids of some sort.

So, over the course of my four year period at the zoo, I've picked up a little foot fungus.

I know, "Ew! gross! how sexy! Wait,what?" : ) Though, it's minor, the slight itch to my right foot was most likely caused by wearing tennis shoes during the rain consistently. I've definitely learned a lesson: bring not only an umbrella, but a pair of shoes.

I'm looking forward to a quick recovery. I'm actually happy that I have a little fungus foot friend, it lead me to my first ever podiatrist visit, and eventually to my first ever home pedicure!

My toes are looking good.

Today was a good day, but I found myself restless and uneasy when I first got home. Though dinner was being prepared and nothing physically was stressing me, I couldn't help the need to vent about work & personal insecurities. Premenstrual madness, I know, but I went on and on of how I should acquire superstar credentials and blah de blah.

I stopped all this squaking when Otto gave me advice (prepare for magoo paraphrasing):

Remember, when you think about how people are or are going to treat you, you start to create that reality. Instead of creating your reality with negative clay, use positive,white clay instead. This will set it in motion to slowly release your sisters and brothers from the chain of fear. Your main function is not being with the animals, but brining peace and light to everyone you've placed yourself around. With your attitude, you can either choose to continue the chain of the negative emotion your receiving and creating or choose to diffuse that current of electricity by positively responding and projecting to the world.

That is why Ghandi said: "Be the change you wish to see" because that is how our reality works.

Think about it.

: ) love, peace and foot soaks.

Tapiring off

I have many signs to read,

a good journey to tread,

many thoughts to think

as I go to bed.

I've really enjoyed learning about Tapirs today.

I also look forward to sharing the happy moment with the rat and the bird feeder.

Nite nite!

Star whale!

The mighty & gentle star whale!

Thanks to Doctor Who I've discovered such a great creature!

I also discovered the first picture & laughed hysterically by myself for a few moments; it completely embodied my feelings for the beloved star whale.

Needless to say, I'm starting to enjoy Doctor Who.

I've just started watching season 5, since the other seasons seem a little dated. I'll back track at some point.

In other news : 3

Summer is slowly progressing. I'm trying to keep myself nice and fit. So here's what I did today!

MagOO activity log:

10 minutes of ab work. I wasn't very good at the v crunches : (

30 minutes of elliptical work doing mostly 7 & 5 number work.

Wii scale weigh in:

5:00 p.m.

20.0 bmi

130lbs and right on center balance! (woo hoo for yoga practice)!

Projects tonight include: getting a cat fountain (gulp! : 3), getting a cable to watch hulu on tv, and maybe some oysters!!

Fall evenings in May & other photos

What's a good walking adventure without a good kitty cat discovery? We stumbled across this snowball right beside Tracy's on magazine. She had a collar, so someone's keeping an eye on her, and she had pretty blue ones. A leucistic kitty!

If my life were a TV series, the ending credits would play an amazing zelda-like song. To these end credits, a flying tortoise (from the perspective of the tortoise) would be in the background.

These are our three red-footed tortoises, Kermit,Animal & Beaker. I carry tortoises to and from their holding to an enrichment yard. I also pretend they're flying..I wonder if they do too.
Henny penny is my favorite chicken, she's a Rhode Island red, bantam,cochin chicken. She's the mother of all our mini chickens and she's red like me. I would like to be Henny penny, if I were a chicken.
This is our office guinea pig, Betty. They squeal, they purr, they jump, they're awesome. Monica was using my desk to trim their nails and Betty was exploring all the smells.
Derby! This is the wild Discovery Walk box turtle, Derby. He was named by a volunteer, Brian, because the turtle's shaped like a derby hat! Though he's wild, I feed him a little now and then and keep an eye on him. I'd like him to stick around...he seems like he's taking to the idea...or the bananas.
A wild egg was brought to D.W. this past Sunday. A volunteer, Megan, took it home to see if it would hatch. She later found out that it is a grackel egg. It hasn't hatched yet, but maybe it will.
The mississippi river is on the rise. Much of the gulf coast has already experienced flooding and soon some of Louisiana will as well. Due to the quick rising river, NOLA and Baton Rouge could suffer severe flooding, the state decided this past week to open up the morganza spillway to release the rise and divert it from the main cities. Unfortunately, many smaller rural areas will suffer. Definitely a hard decision to make.




Three poodles hang outside the coffee shop on a Saturday morning. Otto relaxes on the nicely made bed with the monkeys. I finished "Dead Reckoning" and picked up "Girls Raised By Wolves".I liked that they spelled NOLA with different glasses. Good idea! The house below always has cool displays for the season, just random New Orleans.

Mystic Blue signs is one of the coolest stores, they have so many interesting displays. The flag shop across from it has every flag you can imagine. They compliment each other well.

The yellow sign house is actually a hair studio! How cool! We might check it out somtime.

The caffeine rush has finally started to settle.

Otto and I are sprawled out & relaxing; him with his "Seth Speaks" novel & I with my new blog companion.

I was just telling Otto that I enjoying blogging a bit more than facebook. It seems on facebook, that when you put albums or thoughts or anything up for all your friends to see, you're always looking for approval or acceptance. This isn't always the case, for sure. I do like facebooking occasionally (at least once a week). It helps to briefing scan the activities of others and catchup. So there is positives and negatives. It seems the negatives can outweigh the positives a bit, but that's just how I'm feeling about it at the moment.

Thank goodness for blogging then! : ) A good place to record my progress & happiness.

5:00

The house was a mess. The cats and ourselves had done quite a job of destroying it. I even added a picture to take in the full effect of before and after.

We live in a studio, an efficiency if you will. I like efficiency because it is actually quite efficient.

It's easy to clean, you don't think about it much and it's cheap: all good attributes in a home. It really takes the focus off of material things defining a home and puts it on people and their feelings making a home.

So, back to my master cleaning skills. It took one hour to clean the entire house (minus laundry)! It always seems like a daunting task to clean the place, but once you get started it'll be clean in no time. Whenever I'm tackling a task, I love to pull my hair into a good ponytail and strap on my good sneakers. It makes me feel immediately bouncy and focused. Silly, but it works :).

6:00

So we decided to take a stroll for some grub. Not actual baby beetles, but food of course.

We were going to our favorite place, Slice, but they were closed for renovations, so we went off towards magazine street. It was simply beautiful. The old streets, the unique houses, the historic parks, the shops, the communities-everything was so perfect as we walked. Otto said on one of the streets that it was just like Europe when he went to Germany and France. I think I would agree if I'd ever been there.

We plan to go to Switzerland, Italy and Ireland. Otto has family in Italy, but he says they're very hospitable and stuff you full of pasta...that might not be too yummy.

Our restaurant destination changed to Nacho Mamas. The food and service was pretty bad, but we let it go and when we left we felt nourished but not stuffed. The weather was windy and chilly so we jogged half way to St. Charles and that really helped keep things relaxing.

Before you knew it we were at The Georgian. It's such a pretty building. It always makes me feel good when I see tourists or locals walk by and stop and appreciate it. It's just like me appreciating all the houses we walk by and now I live in one...for much less and no ridiculous property tax or insurance.

Having a home could definitely happen someday, but there are many variables in the equation and I just like what we're doing now.

If Charlaine Harris and life have taught me anything, it's that when things are good just keep doing what you're doing, if it's broke don't fix it and if you're happy why worry?

Here's to more great nights and walking adventures!