tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10127355472245482552024-03-19T05:05:55.426-07:00lionheart...find your adventuremeghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-5400100007348715942014-01-03T14:54:00.000-08:002014-01-03T14:54:31.942-08:00up in the airThese are just a few photos I snapped on my phone when flying from Wisconsin to California after Christmas. When flying 30,000 feet even some of the most impressive geographical landmarks seem small.<br />
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Snowy rural Wisconsin<br />
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A ridge of the Rocky Mountains, near Boulder<br />
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The North Rim of the Grand Canyon (first time I had ever seen it)<br />
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And a more personal one, Big Bear Lake (site of our wedding <strike>next</strike> this year)<br />
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I'm so glad I picked the window seat on such a clear cross-country flight--I usually go for the aisle since I get claustrophobic once the plane lands.<br />
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If you traveled for the holidays, I hope you had a wonderful and safe trip! Hello, 2014!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-79466720740986160992013-11-18T11:45:00.000-08:002013-11-18T11:52:21.738-08:00the lion sleeps tonight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Achieving the status of Best Present Ever, Dane took me to <span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="http://www.shambala.org/">The Shambala Preserve</a> </span>last weekend for my birthday to go on their "Safari Tour" they host one weekend a month. The Shambala Preserve is run by The Roar Foundation, which states its mission as: "<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>To educate the public about exotic animals and to
advocate for legislation to protect them. To provide sanctuary for exotic animals who have suffered from gross mistreatment and neglect so they can regain their physical and mental health
and live out their lives in dignity." </i></span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(<span style="font-size: small;">taken right from their website, <span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="http://www.shambala.org/about.htm">here</a></span>). You can also click on that link to read a beautiful mission statement about the exotic cat trade and Shambala by its founder, Tippi Hedron.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting to see these amazing big cats up close felt like such an honor, and I was giddy the entire way to the preserve. My favorite animals, lions, didn't seem quite as excited to have me visit. I don't know how vigorous their morning was, but it seemed that we had arrived just in time for their afternoon naps in the warm sun.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">But one guy, Zeus, was awake! Unfortunately, he chose to hang out waaaaaay on the other side of the compound.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The good news was that the tigers and the black leopard were much more active. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #666666;">The entire preserve was so well maintained, and all of the workers (mostly volunteers sporting "Proud Parent of _____" adoption pins) exuded such a love and respect for the cats.</span></span></span></span></span>
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIcBGbVl8iH1DORDc0CWb8Kot4fU5seUp3AE-FRkqT597G7nQYFlkCbkZyCaG-Dw59uSZJysuYtqWfuQjo9fbWbSKYgUtjo1OILXJPVY3BgqLAvov5TIL6mxIX_KHwOnZw4jKIMtly6Vm/s1600/IMG_9252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIcBGbVl8iH1DORDc0CWb8Kot4fU5seUp3AE-FRkqT597G7nQYFlkCbkZyCaG-Dw59uSZJysuYtqWfuQjo9fbWbSKYgUtjo1OILXJPVY3BgqLAvov5TIL6mxIX_KHwOnZw4jKIMtly6Vm/s400/IMG_9252.jpg" width="300" /></a></td><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43nZhWBh-SDeWhp20uaotNrfBDS2fg5cmgBatr_51ip_37YsxTUr7EzHbsgekxj81ZKHJVRkzbcXCUkmFLh5ivdePeakqPW4GnyhdY6FRVrMdEfE2vJ7lDT_wLvm8pmPyzLk9PnX-eHPL/s1600/IMG_9171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43nZhWBh-SDeWhp20uaotNrfBDS2fg5cmgBatr_51ip_37YsxTUr7EzHbsgekxj81ZKHJVRkzbcXCUkmFLh5ivdePeakqPW4GnyhdY6FRVrMdEfE2vJ7lDT_wLvm8pmPyzLk9PnX-eHPL/s400/IMG_9171.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-76971203540755929572013-11-05T11:08:00.000-08:002013-11-05T11:09:32.066-08:00Oh, hi, Ojai!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's fitting that this post is about Ojai (pronounced Oh-hi) and that I'm saying hello again to my readers after a bit of a break. What can I say, sometimes life and other things get in the way of writing things on the internet; I'm not going to beat myself up about it. But, welcome back!<br />
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This trip was in celebration of Dane's birthday this past month. We love taking little day trips out of the city, so the small town of Ojai was a perfect little getaway. Our first stop was the pumpkin patch (a little bit of an upgrade from the <a href="http://alionheartblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/parking-lot-pumpkin-patch.html" style="color: #351c75;">pumpkin patch in a parking lot</a> that we visited last year). This one had actual grass and big, beautiful trees!<br />
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After the pumpkin patch, we walked to the farmer's market and up and down the Arcade, an outdoor shopping area full of boutiques and small art galleries. We wound up at Bart's Books, a large outdoor bookstore--right up our alley!<br />
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All of the book browsing and pumpkin picking had someone a little tuckered out...<br />
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And we ended our day with an al fresco dinner during the famous Ojai sunset that bounces its color off of the surrounding mountains, followed by a peaceful drive home. Sometimes it's nice to remind ourselves of the small town life.<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-4326841828523551122013-08-19T11:34:00.000-07:002013-08-19T11:34:14.574-07:00...from God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the promised Part II of the Santa Barbara Mission. After the mission itself and the graveyard, the path leads back inside to a lovely little Spanish style chapel and mini-museum showcasing the daily life of a monk at the mission. Displays always pique the interest of my inner anthropologist.<br />
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I loved these brushes because they look like a line of little hedgehogs!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-31777543221585832352013-08-08T11:25:00.000-07:002013-08-08T11:25:04.389-07:00we're on a mission...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Visiting a place where time seems to stand still is so refreshing. It seems we are constantly on the go, constantly checking emails and facebook, and constantly falling into the "I'm so busy" trap. There are a couple of things I do to try to combat this-- not having a smart phone is a major one-- but taking little trips on my days off makes me forget about the bills and unanswered emails for a while and focuses my energy on seeing some amazing things less than a few hours away.<br />
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The Santa Barbara Mission was a stop on our little trip to Santa Barbara, and it is one of those places where time is suspended as you wander through the grounds. The mission is a charming mix of sacred and haunting, yet inviting and joyful.<br />
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The grounds and graveyeard lead to a still active chapel and a small museum that features items from the brothers' daily lives--I'll be sharing that in my next post!<br />
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Hope you're having a wonderful week!<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-51901980143930263892013-07-27T20:57:00.000-07:002013-07-27T20:59:52.638-07:00court is in session<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If I ever get called to jury duty (or go to trial for some other reason..), let it be in Santa Barbara! This building is so incredibly gorgeous, and still functions as the county courthouse. <br />
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And my apologies for taking so long to continue the Santa Barbara posts (it's scary to think that this trip was OVER a month ago!)--the last month has been crazily busy with the onset of wedding planning. I promise to share photos more frequently!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-39565592950114614142013-07-03T10:18:00.000-07:002013-07-03T10:18:16.210-07:00top of the tower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our way up to Big Sur a few weeks ago, we stopped to have dinner in Santa Barbara and knew we had to come back and stay longer than a meal (& brought guests-- Santa Barbara is a great place to impress loved ones visiting in the LA area). A friend of mine recommended seeing the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, sometimes called the most beautiful public building in the country. I have plenty of inside photos to share, too, but these are from our ascent to the top of the clock tower, where you can soak in some seriously amazing views (even if it is mostly cloudy).<br />
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The mountains & ocean are still be beautiful, even covered in low-lying clouds. Santa Barbara feels so European to me, with its red roofs, homes built into the hillsides, and quaint downtown plazas. I imagine going to UC- Santa Barbara seems like four years of studying abroad!<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-82053985553376271722013-06-20T12:42:00.000-07:002013-06-20T12:42:29.922-07:00where the mountains meet the sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Southern California may be praised for its gorgeous beaches and perfect weather, but let me tell you, the central coast is really something to see. We drove up PCH (the famous US Hwy 1) to Big Sur, and the rocky cliffs and lumbering mountains were unbelievably beautiful. I've said it before, and I'll say it again-- there are so. many. amazing. places. in the US. If you're planning any sort of road trip/ RV trip around the country, US Hwy 1 is absolutely necessary (and I have only seen a few hours stretch! I can't even imagine how amazing the views are in the PNW.)<br />
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Can you believe the colors? And I don't even own Photoshop, so these are just rudimentarily edited through my basic iPhoto setup.<br />
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It really feels like the edge of the world.meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-20355540455369693712013-06-17T20:32:00.000-07:002013-06-17T20:32:46.799-07:00elephant seals are a real thing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have you ever watched Planet Earth or a special on Discovery Channel/Animal Planet that featured a segment on elephant seals? I bet you thought the same thing I did: "What?!? Those things aren't real. This is some expensive CGI creation trying to grab viewers." Turns out these weird, alien-like seals actually do exist-- and in California, only a few hours north of me! <br />
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Dane & I headed north this past weekend to scope out some wedding sites in Big Sur, about 90 miles of the central coastal area of California. Just when we were entering the Big Sur area, we spotted a sign for an elephant seal lookout point. We decided to stop, but didn't have high hopes of actually seeing any seals. We were very, very wrong!<br />
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The elephant seals were staying cool and preventing sunburn by throwing sand onto themselves with their little flippers. It was adorable to see little puffs of sand flying.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[looks like Dane chose to focus on the elephant seals for this photo... :) ]</td></tr>
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-58939360969710649262013-06-03T17:08:00.000-07:002013-06-03T17:08:07.307-07:00totoro cupcakes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My friend had a birthday party this weekend, and I surprised her with cupcakes that look like My Neighbor Totoro (since we share a mutual love for the movie). This is cheating a bit in the "recipe" department, since the cupcakes are just boxed Funfetti mix. The frosting is homemade, though, and still needs a bit of tweaking (these little guys melted just slightly on the way over, in the hot car). I'm determined to perfect the recipe.<br />
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The detailing was easy, since I had bought one of those "gel icing" tubes from the grocery store in black. Instead of cutting the top off, I pricked it with a pin to get a very fine line. If you're curious about the gray colored icing, I just used 2 drops each of red, blue, and yellow food coloring and mixed very well. It turned out to be the perfect shade!<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-48346779809308682872013-05-21T10:58:00.001-07:002013-05-21T10:58:15.473-07:00leaning in<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ah, the quintessential Southern California sunset.<br />
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A few weeks ago, Dane & I decided to have a little happy hour in Venice Beach at a place called the Waterfront Cafe. The cafe's patio sits right on the boardwalk, across from the ocean. Great for both the ocean views and the people watching (Venice has to be the USA's premiere people watching location). Also, the Waterfront Cafe has the most amazing giant hot pretzels served with homemade sweet mustard. I couldn't even snap a photo because we gobbled it up so quickly.<br />
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I've been reading the popular book <i>Lean In </i>by Sheryl Sandberg recently (she's the COO of Facebook and also worked at Google and for the US Treasury). I wasn't so sure about it at first--as an Anthropology major, I had extensively studied the topic of gender roles in multiple areas of the world, and the idea that girls and boys are raised differently and accept societal roles differently didn't seem groundbreaking to me-- but I'm about halfway through now and can say that she definitely has some great observations about pursuing a career as a woman. My workplace is having a mini-bookclub to discuss <i>Lean In </i>after we're all finished reading it, and I'm excited to share all of my opinions and hear others opinions.<br />
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If you think that this book is only applicable to the woman pursing a career in business or technology, I would say that you are dead wrong. I am already applying her lessons not only in my "day job" workplace, but also in my creative career. In fact (although I'm only halfway through Sheryl's book), I'd say that her writing is a great asset to a creative career since the "entry level" of this type of work is basically considered "trying to be a _____". Although I have performed in many professional plays, I am still seen as "trying to be an actor" unless I continue to work my way up (or around, and Sheryl suggests). We <i>have </i>to lean in and find new ways to grow or our career seemingly doesn't exist.<br />
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It seems like everyone is reading the book anyway, but I would say that picking up a copy from the library or bookstore is a good idea, especially if you're a twenty-something like me trying to piece together a career path.<br />
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I don't think <i>Lean In </i>was on my mind during this gorgeous sunset, but I'm sure I'll be applying its lessons to both of my careers.<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-63543671845686975542013-05-13T12:52:00.000-07:002013-05-13T12:52:01.392-07:00my memory is foggy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the perks of living in LA should be the proximity to the beach. So, on a day off when I finally have nothing pressing to do, of course I'm going to ask my beau to come to the beach with me. Especially when it's 86 and sunny, right?<br />
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Well, it was 86 and sunny at our place. And about ten blocks from the beach. But about eight blocks away, a thick fog had meandered in on an otherwise perfect day. Not the sunny, jump-in-the-water-to-escape-the-heat conditions I was hoping for.<br />
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But we stayed, because it wasn't crowded and the fog made the scenery quite beautiful. I felt like I was in a pastel painting of a shipwreck.<br />
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That's the farthest I would go into the icy water.<br />
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Luckily, the sky started to clear at around 3:30 and we had a good hour of hot, sweet sunshine to cap off our visit. But I can take plenty of pictures of a sunny beach-- the fog is a rarity!<br />
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<i>P.S.--I loved that our fellow beach bum was reading Stephen Hawking (the black book in the bottom left had corner)! </i>meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-88330899143291060192013-05-08T08:51:00.001-07:002013-05-08T08:51:32.712-07:00the poem's the thingIf you never stopped by my good friend Lauren's poetry blog <a href="http://bahnheur.wordpress.com/" style="color: #351c75;">bahnheur</a>, I highly suggest it. I am working on a little project for her this morning, and was reminded of how amazing talented she is-- her writing is so lyrical and hearty. Give it a read some time. meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-32036184627567624862013-04-28T11:44:00.000-07:002013-04-28T15:30:57.547-07:00view obscura <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last weekend we took a hike at Temescal Gateway Park and realized: Never go hiking in a popular place in the late morning on a weekend. The trails were a little more crowded than I would have liked (isn't the point of hiking to get <i>away</i> from the hectic-ness of the city?) and, to top it off, my camera battery died less than halfway into our hike. There was also fog hiding the ocean view that I was craving.<br />
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But enough of my whining--I'll share the photos I did capture in that first half hour or so. I really love this hike, so I'm sure I'll be back (it's actually pretty close to our home--just up Sunset Blvd.) so I can show you the <i>real </i>view and other pretty parts.<br />
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The fog may have obscured our view of the ocean, but we could still see the multimillion dollar mansions of Pacific Palisades.<br />
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I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-66615408250413342982013-04-17T12:51:00.001-07:002013-04-17T12:51:29.373-07:00I am runner, hear me roar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Like many of you, I have been processing the bombing of the Boston Marathon for the past few days. I've been watching the news, seeing the inspirational quotes, and reading <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pattonoswalt/posts/10151440800582655" style="color: #351c75;">Patton Oswalt's Facebook Note.</a> I've been disgusted by whomever would carry out such a cowardly act, and uplifted by those rushing to help others.<br />
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Before a few years ago, I never considered myself a runner. I ran track for two years in high school and competed in my small town's sprint triathlon (mostly for the swimming, though), but never would I have signed up for a race or gone on a run just for fun or exercise. Then, the summer after I graduated from college, my friend Molly asked me to do the Chicago Half Marathon with her. I reluctantly agreed. I had all summer to train, so I printed out my Hal Higdon beginner's level training program and followed it diligently. I didn't skip a single training run for fear that I would not finish or, even worse, be picked up by the "sag wagon" that mandates the slowest pace allowed. I woke up early before my Shakespeare Festival classes and rehearsals and ran through South Bend, IN, past the river and the sewage plant.<br />
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And I discovered that I loved it.<br />
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I ran the race that September and immediately vowed to sign up again next year. After the next year, I decided to set my sights higher and take on the Chicago Marathon in 2011.<br />
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I signed up for a charity team that I was passionate about and raised money. I joined the Chicago Area Runner's Association (CARA) and did my long runs with them on Saturday mornings at 6:30 am, essentially surrendering my Friday night social life. As my "short runs" worked up to eight miles, I stuck to a protein-rich diet and drank so. much. water. I dedicated those two months to training and stretching and reaching my goal of completing the 26.2 miles that awaited me in October.<br />
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I remember everything about the day I ran the Chicago Marathon, which ended up being one of the most emotional days of my life. I remember the warm weather that soon turned hot and nearly unbearable during a stretch of newly paved blacktop. I remember the bodies walking and hunched over at the side of the road as the miles stretched into the 20's. I remember where the male runners would peel off the course to use the secluded bushes as their bathroom.<br />
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But mostly, I remember the spectators. I cried my way through the first mile as I was simply overwhelmed by the number of people cheering for everyone and anyone. There were so many witty signs, high fivers, and cowbells. Lots of people called out my charity name (plastered on the front of my singlet) as I passed. Some people would just yell something like, "Way to go sweatband!" or "You've got this, purple shorts!" My parents came to Chicago to watch the race, and I got to see them and my boyfriend at around mile 3.5 and 23 (I ended up beating them to mile 13!), holding their sign and camera and screaming for me. The route took me past the bar where I worked at the time, and a line of my coworkers screamed for me and gave me high fives at mile 10. Every time I saw someone I knew, I got a huge burst of energy that told my body that I could definitely accomplish this feat. I don't think I could have finished the marathon (at least, in the time I did) without the crowd support pushing me to make my training count.<br />
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So, thank you to everyone who has traveled to watch me in a race, whether it's down the street or across the state. Thank you for encouraging me to accomplish what I thought was undoable only months before. Thank you to anyone who has ever cheered for a stranger, who has ever called someone by their bib number or shirt color--trust me, we do notice and love it. Thank you to all of the runners who have trained with me or commiserated with me.<br />
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Please don't stop coming. Because I'm not going to stop running. meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-39777560160595577112013-04-04T11:36:00.000-07:002013-04-04T11:36:25.252-07:00bryce canyon national park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A Utah tourism commercial featuring their five national parks has caught my attention lately (one of the few commercials I'm ever excited to see more than two times), reminded me of this amazing stop on our road trip, and really deepened my itch to go to another national park (we also visited <a href="http://alionheartblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/peak-hours.html" style="color: #351c75;">Grand Teton</a> and <a href="http://alionheartblog.blogspot.com/search/label/yellowstone" style="color: #351c75;">Yellowstone</a>). The commercial portrays the other four parks in Utah as having the same kind of look and feel as Bryce Canyon--huge red canyon rocks, deep gorges, sudden cliffs--and the drive wouldn't be unmanageable for a three day trip (is 9 hours unmanageable?) so I'm eyeing Capitol Reef and Zion as potential next stops on our goal to visit every national park (although California's famous Yosemite is also in the mix).<br />
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Bryce Canyon is one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. The surrounding pine forest conceals most of the canyon right up to the rim, making your first glimpse of the orange and red amphitheaters of carved rock incredibly dramatic.<br />
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We started at some of the more famous lookouts but decided to hike along the upper rim trail, which was decidedly less crowded. Possibly because the trail hugged the edge of the canyon--it was not for the faint of heart.<br />
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We were brave enough to saddle right up to the edge...<br />
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The two most famous rock formations in Bryce Canyon are "The Thumb" and "Thor's Hammer" which (surprise!) look like a thumb and a hammer. <br />
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Over the course of our road trip, I really perfected my ability to take self-timer photos. This photo was taken as the camera was wedged in the crook of a low tree branch.<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-28249083845046578182013-03-29T15:50:00.000-07:002013-03-29T15:50:06.430-07:00dry dry desert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-27346560277998080572013-03-27T10:34:00.000-07:002013-03-27T10:34:09.258-07:00oasis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We didn't know about this oasis until we were at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area, looking at one of those little four-sided map/wildlife poster pavilions. A flyer listed "Ten Things to Do In an Hour or Less" and the oasis hike was #4. It turned out to be one of the coolest parts of our day-- it was so unexpected to see a lush, tropical patch of palms in the middle of the desert!<br />
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It kind of felt like Jurassic Park. I also joked to Dane about how cool it would be to get married/elope in the middle of it (don't worry Mom, it was just a joke!).<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-58748631626241320342013-03-25T11:22:00.000-07:002013-03-25T11:22:18.674-07:00salty salton sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dane's spring break is this week, so we decided to take a little day trip on one of our coinciding days off. Rather than choosing San Diego, Malibu, or some other typical tropical location, Dane wanted to go to the Salton Sea, a lake in the middle of the Colorado Desert (named for the river, not the state--the desert is in south central California). Like Death Valley, the Salton Sea is below sea level-- 226 ft. to be exact. The draw of the lake in the middle of the desert turned the area into a popular resort town in the 1950's, but the lake is rapidly drying up and the salinity increases about 1% every
year, making it now the home to some trailer parks, campgrounds, and sea birds.<br />
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Yes, I did end up getting a v-neck sunburn from this trip.<br />
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Speaking of reddening, the increasing salinity and area runoff creates large algae blooms in standing water near the shore. Not that I'm comparing my skin to this next photo.<br />
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We even had dinner and a drink at the local (only) bar, the Ski Inn. The bar was specked with visitors and a few regulars. I love these kinds of bars-- the ones where a tall frothy glass of PBR is $2.50 (unheard of in LA), an old jukebox plays country and southern rock, and everyone there wants to meet each other. We ended up talking with Steve and Gene, two buddies staying at Slab City; Stewart, a business major turned photo journalist; and Colleen and Rich, two members of the biker gang from Palm Springs that showed up. Those who had passed through the Ski Inn decorated its walls with a taped up dollar commemorating their visit, and we added our own mark:<br />
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This day vacation ended up being even better than I expected-- not that I had high expectations traveling to a dying lake in the middle of the desert (but kudos to Dane for choosing the destination). Our trip also included a hike to an oasis and a gorgeous sunset that I will be posting about this week, since I ended up taking way too many photos for one post.<br />
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<i>(Note: I didn't get mauled by a wild animal--I was going to try to edit out the benchmarks on my legs in that photo, but I like to keep it real for you guys--when I sit on benches in shorts, I get marks on the back of my legs. C'est la vie.) </i><br />
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My guy sure knows how to find a good adventure.<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-47590067617349688772013-03-18T11:23:00.000-07:002013-03-18T11:23:17.434-07:00canyon drive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our way to Bryce Canyon from Salt Lake City, we came to an actual fork in the road (well, an off ramp on the highway): we could either stick to Interstate 15 and make good time or take the slightly longer route on Hwy 89 that snaked through the canyons north of Bryce Canyon. Taking the interstate had its advantages; we would be a major highway with rest stops and gas stations, and we would know exactly where we were going and how long it would take to get there. Highway 89 was twisty and fairly remote, only passing through one town and then continuing on through the unknown until it reconnected with 15 just north of our destination. <br />
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I think you can guess which path we chose.<br />
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This drive was one of the best surprises of our trip. We came across a small abandoned farm and met some of the locals.<br />
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If you're ever on a road trip, I highly recommend taking a slightly less direct route. Interstates are great, but cruising down a two lane highway in the middle of a gorge is better.<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-18405307870881201742013-03-11T11:16:00.000-07:002013-03-11T11:16:14.489-07:00inspired by: Miranda July<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nextness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Miranda-July-Dont-Give-Up-by-Dan-Boud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://nextness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Miranda-July-Dont-Give-Up-by-Dan-Boud.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image from <a href="http://nextness.com.au/creativity/20-lessons-for-creatives-from-miranda-july-quotes/" style="color: #351c75;">here</a></td></tr>
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As I work on my movement piece project (I posted a bit about it <a href="http://alionheartblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/exactly-where-i-need-to-be.html" style="color: #351c75;">here</a>) I appreciate artists like Miranda July, who I've always admired, for making her own art on her own terms. One look at her <a href="http://mirandajuly.com/" style="color: #351c75;">website</a> introduces you into her outlook on her creative process. Her films, performances, and art are woven together by the desire to simultaneously connect with others on a genuine level while celebrating one's own personal voice. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pdnphotooftheday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/2Victoria_Will_POTD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://pdnphotooftheday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/2Victoria_Will_POTD.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image from <a href="http://pdnphotooftheday.com/2012/08/16533" style="color: #351c75;">here</a></td></tr>
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Sometimes it is difficult to explain to people (especially in LA) that I consider myself an actor but am not currently going on any auditions. To some, it seems less legitimate to create your own art, film, or theatre piece than to participate in the expected way of becoming an actor. And when I try to describe exactly the kind of art I'm creating, things only get more complicated and my legitimacy seems to plummet.<br />
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Thankfully, I have some solid friends and fellow artists who support me 100%, understand what I'm doing, and are excited for me. Yesterday, I was texting with a far away <a href="http://bahnheur.wordpress.com/" style="color: #351c75;">best friend</a>, who wrote: "I am so proud of you for doing your own thing." I am always thankful to hear simple words like that.<br />
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This little compilation <a href="http://nextness.com.au/creativity/20-lessons-for-creatives-from-miranda-july-quotes/" style="color: #351c75;">"Don't Give Up": 20 lessons for creatives from Miranda July</a> has a few pearls of wisdom in it (even if you'd rather pursue science or technology or accounting). Mostly, she just inspires me to do my own work and not to worry if it doesn't fit neatly into a category.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.salon.com/2011/07/miranda_july_faces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://media.salon.com/2011/07/miranda_july_faces.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image from <a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/07/27/miranda_july_interview/" style="color: #351c75;">here</a></td></tr>
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-75828822283313278092013-03-06T10:32:00.000-08:002013-03-06T10:32:52.605-08:00man vs. wild<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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LA has an amazing amount of green space for being the second largest city in the country. Most homes, and a large number of apartment complexes, have lawns or courtyards that are constantly being tended by gardeners, and I've mentioned before my surprise at the number of hiking trails smack dab in the middle of the city (like <a href="http://alionheartblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/renewed-focus.html" style="color: #351c75;">Runyon Canyon</a>). I really enjoy the outdoor-mindedness of Los Angeles, and how remote areas can be situated so close to busy destinations (last week, Dane & I went for a walk on the secluded beach at Will Roger's State Beach, about a mile and a half north of the Santa Monica Pier).<br />
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There's a large orange tree growing in the middle of our courtyard (too bad I don't like oranges). In Chicago, the closest we could get to nature was probably Lincoln Park and the lakeshore--which I LOVED, don't get me wrong! But it's nice to have numerous hiking trails and beaches just a short drive away.<br />
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It also doesn't hurt to see so much green when 80% of your facebook friends are complaining about snow. :) <br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-21924095894418114022013-02-27T10:57:00.000-08:002013-02-27T10:57:17.903-08:00temple square<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since Salt Lake City was one of our overnight stops on our road trip, we decided to spend the next morning exploring Temple Square, the headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Neither Dane nor myself is Mormon, but we had heard a lot of buzz about the beauty of the square. And I must say, the grounds were very clean and meticulously landscaped. We also had an absolutely gorgeous blue-sky morning, which never hurts.<br />
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The square was a mix of sacred and secular elements existing side by side.<br />
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I find religious sites very interesting to visit. I really know very little about Mormonism, and it was fascinating to see their church and tabernacle and to read all of the little plaques scattered about that noted important events and people in their history. I also appreciate that so much passion is always poured into sacred sites by their believers--these types of places always seem to have such a reverent and earnest quality in the air. I felt the same when visiting Westminster Abbey and Notre Dame de Paris--the devoted love for the site was palpable.<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-33591919981629787202013-02-21T12:07:00.000-08:002013-02-21T12:07:48.232-08:00on the shores of Big Bear Lake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the shores of Big Bear Lake, in the San Bernardino mountains...<br />
<br />
There was a boy...<br />
<table><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiZ3hHXfxE228oPw6kPjei3N88Isqg5QHeBgvnptnJgHCwbz0TmSRM4LwXt8wfCB7PWq7V0YKEVWmfSM3biDUHrz15he1bsk5sdAaWljyYvz5emPdhsLtkm-oCNO1I6Z86xllVdZIN4O_/s1600/IMG_8119.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiZ3hHXfxE228oPw6kPjei3N88Isqg5QHeBgvnptnJgHCwbz0TmSRM4LwXt8wfCB7PWq7V0YKEVWmfSM3biDUHrz15he1bsk5sdAaWljyYvz5emPdhsLtkm-oCNO1I6Z86xllVdZIN4O_/s320/IMG_8119.JPG" /></a></td><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8qDP10LGdHvXu84rCApNpCN6NaXszyk1zAHSdJWkZ5wGDBWJKOXYQAToKK_U5NR0DsTo7wVazxKJb8ndAyRIIQ_pydQ09Ioyaygyoy2QR4K5NoRZE-FCS9rMaqGI_rt-s2iEuWHYrsuU/s1600/IMG_8116.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8qDP10LGdHvXu84rCApNpCN6NaXszyk1zAHSdJWkZ5wGDBWJKOXYQAToKK_U5NR0DsTo7wVazxKJb8ndAyRIIQ_pydQ09Ioyaygyoy2QR4K5NoRZE-FCS9rMaqGI_rt-s2iEuWHYrsuU/s320/IMG_8116.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqWMutjL7y-or6ZBzCArugmeDWgUWih0m906bx-8mcm3YVVagaU9eTtfRkyxcYdZpBHRMGwvjN3EmHKNfg4i5ijWagxYIg61MAQw2dH0i2kndi_yBdwgtjT7B1hGIzq-yZbl9q_peX9sW/s1600/IMG_8121.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqWMutjL7y-or6ZBzCArugmeDWgUWih0m906bx-8mcm3YVVagaU9eTtfRkyxcYdZpBHRMGwvjN3EmHKNfg4i5ijWagxYIg61MAQw2dH0i2kndi_yBdwgtjT7B1hGIzq-yZbl9q_peX9sW/s320/IMG_8121.JPG" /></a></td><td><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvsIsHIRxKVu1wwXcBSoi1ifgn8QGty-kkhUulv0OdTfjjVo0fvlLDlMpL6KQVUt2NvGUxMCduPpkKuejYExxx6OgQapBeS7Hq9tZl0N2mSuk9UtqWl-6Uo9Kib7j_bz8-sckyvZWSfd0/s1600/IMG_8123.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvsIsHIRxKVu1wwXcBSoi1ifgn8QGty-kkhUulv0OdTfjjVo0fvlLDlMpL6KQVUt2NvGUxMCduPpkKuejYExxx6OgQapBeS7Hq9tZl0N2mSuk9UtqWl-6Uo9Kib7j_bz8-sckyvZWSfd0/s320/IMG_8123.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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...and a girl.</div>
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They took a trip to the lake.<br />
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One morning, they set off on a hike to explore the north shore.<br />
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He met a new friend...<br />
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...while she dove right in.<br />
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<br />
And on the way back from the observatory...<br />
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<br />
...there was a heart-pounding question...<br />
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...and an tearful answer.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
And that's the beginning of the next part of our story.<br />
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1012735547224548255.post-87343438066375926412013-02-14T09:47:00.000-08:002013-02-14T09:47:00.080-08:00be my valentine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Happy Valentine's Day! xoxoxomeghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282135626518416798noreply@blogger.com0