Saturday, January 10, 2009

Cheers from Charleston

I was having severe blogging withdrawal so I paid $3 so I could use the Internet for an hour. I could read blogs and comment on my phone, but I couldn't fill you in on all the happenings in Charleston while we are having a quick break.

The drive was...stressful. AGAIN, Mr. P decided to stop smoking on the day we leave for vacation. He was not really crabby, but he wasn't his usual cheerful, goofy trip self. I put a kibosh on that plan. Don't get me wrong, I want the man to quit smoking. Badly. But seriously, quitting during a regular work week when he can be anxious in our own house instead of in a little hotel room is a much better idea.

We have been having a good time, even though most of the stuff has been kinda disappointing. Last night we went on a dinner cruise with all the attendees from my conference. We read the ads for the cruise and a few of the words used were "gourmet", "oriental rugs", "bay windows", and ummm, that was really just not the case. We ate on BUFFET tables and folding chair type things. And the cruise marketing people were also a bit fast and loose using the term cruise. Riding out into the middle of the harbor, then STOPPING, doesn't really say cruise to me.

The good news from the cruise is that I kind of had a break through. of sorts. The food was bad. Really horrible. I was starving. Instead of eating my main course, I drank 19 glasses of water and 3 rolls and called it a day. The unhealthy version of myself would have eaten it anyway. I know 3 rolls for dinner isn't any semblance of healthy, but I was headache hungry, and in my mind, it was better than eating a bland, yet full of calories steak and an overly spiced, and full of calorie crab cake. I found out today that I did eat some soup with crab roe in it before I began my boycott. yuck. Clarification: I knew I ate the soup, I didn't know there was roe in it until I looked at a recipe today.
Here we are cruising, yet note that this is NOT an accurate depiction of the cruise, it was nowhere near this exciting.

Last night (after the super fun cruise) we were in the room looking through pamphlets (oh man, Mr. P loves the pamphlets) trying to decide what to do today. I was looking at a pamphlet of Fort Sumter, and I read something that surprised me and asked Mr. P, "Did you know that this is where the Civil War started?" He stared at me, and said incredulously, "Are you saying you had to learn that from a pamphlet?!?" no. duh. of course I knew that. jeez.

This morning we got up and headed to the aquarium and IMAX theater. After you pay to go into the aquarium, there is an outdoor observation area and we went out there first. There were a group of boys out there, maybe 10 or 11 years old, but no parents/adults that appeared to be in charge of them. Anyway, one of the kids yelled,"LOOK I found a turtle." We looked and he had a little 2 inch turtle in his hand. Now this observation deck was completely concrete and about 20 feet above the surface of the water. No way did that turtle end up there just to be "found". Mr. P and I kind of looked at each other, and before there was any adult interaction, the boy threw the turtle into the water. The whole thing felt weird to me. Later we were in the aquarium and there was a turtle exhibit, and I was looking at a swimming turtle, and Mr. P walked away a bit. He looked at me with a sad look and said, "That kid took a turtle." I walked to where he was and it was a very open display, basically a table about waist high, filled with muck/mud and little plants, and TINY turtles. No covering, no aquarium person guarding the turtles, nothing.

I am thinking the kid reached in and took a turtle, put him in his pocket. At some point the guilt or the realization that someone might question where he got it started to bother him and he "outed it" then got rid of the evidence. The notion that the whole thing happened is bothersome, but the whole time we were at the aquarium we took note of many exhibits that were not safe for the animals. That bugs me. I think zoos and aquariums are good for the educational value...provide information about conservation, etc. However, first and foremost, the animals should be kept safe.

Anyway, Mr. P was excited about going to a 3D IMAX movie and the fucking theater has been closed for 18 months. Take down the signs assholes. I HATE it when Mr. P gets disappointed, he has the most pitiful sad face. He kind of shrugged it off at the time, then when we were about halfway back he said, "That is douchey to just leave a sign up like that." It certainly is.

As far as the healthy, healthy, healthy me? I would say not bad. Not stellar, but not bad. I have walked every day. I have made "better" choices for most meals, which means I order what I want (within reason) and eat half. Not a third, like Tara suggested, but not the whole thing either. No bad snacking, I had grapes and water at the aquarium when they had soda and hot dogs. I have not tracked my points because doing it on the phone for more than a quick thing is ANNOYING, and this is the only hour I have had the Internet since we left home.

So to sum it all up, we are having a GREAT time, tiny turtle aside. (Even when things are weird, we can have a good time because making fun of stuff is just about our favorite pastime.)

On a parting note, did you know that American alligators can grow to 12 feet? I couldn't quite comprehend that so I needed a reference:

Yes, that is Mr. P laying on the floor in the aquarium. He rocks.

ETA: Man, my spelling was atrocious in this post. I had to fix it, it was driving me batshit (which is spelled correctly, by the way).

6 comments:

W said...

Hey, I did not suggest you only eat a third of your food! I suggested that you eat what looked like a normal sized portion. You just heard the worst and remembered only it! But I am so happy that that is working for you and that you are feeling good about your choices. That is all that matters!

I'm really glad we were not there for the turtle episode. I don't think I could have kept my mouth shut. I hope you will consider writing a letter to the aquarium and telling them that they need to protect the animals more appropriately.

Sounds like you are having a good time! Can't wait to hear the rest!

Hotch Potchery said...

I think that crab roe messed with my brain...I had 1/3 firmly in my mind, and when I looked back at the comments thinking I may have mixed up comment with commenter, well, NOONE mentioned 1/3.

I have gone over it and over it, and I even wondered if I should talk to someone at the aquarium, but I tend to "stay out of it". The letter is a great idea. That I can do.

Not Your Aunt B said...

Yes send the letter. The poor turtles.

And were you at a rave on the cruise? Maybe that's why you didn't eat much? ;)

And I love the photo of Mr. P. That alligator really eat him.

Penny said...

It sounds like a fun trip!

I feel sad for that little turtle, maybe you should go back and get some as souvenirs.

DAVs said...

I would have felt exactly the same way about the turtle. I would have obsessed over it, frankly. And made Lee miserable because I would have been so worried about other turtles meeting its same fate. I'm just that way. One day on the way to work I saw a skunk that had been hit by a car and it was still alive but obviously SUFFERING. And I started bawling. And then there was the owl that I had to rescue and spent half a day locating and getting it to a wildlife rescue. Animals just really get to me--so send the letter!

And that picture is AWESOME--well, both of them are. I'm glad you're having a pretty good time on the trip!

creative kerfuffle said...

i would have learned about the civil war thing from a phamplet too. sigh. and yeah for you doing so well on your good behavior while on vacay! that aligator/mr.p pic is a hoot, and somewhat alarming. glad i don't live near gators. it sounds like you guys had fun despite the turtle (hello---where were those kids' parents???) incident and crappy food and out of service imax. i've never been to an imax movie but hear they are spectacular.

 
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