#11 - Go an entire month without Facebook

Thursday, June 30, 2011

 I decided I just spend too much time on Facebook, so I decided to stay away for a while.  The end of the school year was crazy.  Senior trip, banquet (both student and staff), despedida’s, graduation, awards, field day, report cards, and all the end of year cleaning.  There just wasn’t time.  A few days before the senior trip I decided it was time to be done for a while.  My last post was on May 29 and I didn’t return until June 30.  

I did keep my rules a little loose.  I replied to a few emails I got from FB about a message, but never actually opened facebook.  That’s the time consuming part of it.  In a few cases it was important I replied to a parent or student about a concern, but I always did it from my email as if it was an email communication.  

So there we have it, I can go an entire month without touching facebook.  I think I’m going to try to enjoy it from now on, but not let it take up too much of my time.  There are more constructive things I could be doing instead.

#59 - Eat at La Rosa Nautica

Monday, June 20, 2011

 For the past five years I have regularly walked along the coast of Peru and always see La Rosa Nautica sitting out in the water.  Every time I think it would be fun to eat there and never have.  So finally, today, after dreaming about it for nearly five years, we went.  Amy,  Cindy and I had lunch there this afternoon. Since it’s out in the ocean it is logical that they specialize in fish and seafood, but that didn’t deter us.  Amy found some sea bass to eat, Cindy got steak, and I got chicken.  I know...creative.  But, it was all really good.  I even tried a bite of Amy’s and probably could have handled at least eating part of her food.  

The ocean has been crazy the past two days.  We tried to go out surfing yesterday and decided that was a bad idea.  The waves don’t look so rough in this picture, but they were cresting at nearly 13 feet at times, and the water was so choppy you would think there was a storm coming in.  Doesn’t it also look like it could rain?  It’s been like that for two days too.  It doesn’t rain in Lima, but I think we’ve hit the record amount for the year in two days.  It’s been so wet!  All that choppy water shook the restaurant a few times, so that was a little adventurous!

#24 - See a movie at the theater...

Saturday, June 18, 2011

 There is a new theater near my house here in Lima that’s been open for 8 or 9 months.  We’ve talked about going to see a movie for months and just haven’t done it.  Cindy and I have stopped by a time or two in an attempt to find a movie we want to watch and just haven’t seen anything that intrigued us enough to spend the money.  The other day we pulled up the listing and there was one that caught our attention so we planned to go tonight, only it was off the list by today.  

We really wanted to see one though, so we went with the second choice.  Cindy, Elizabeth, my sister Amy, and I went to see Kung Fu Panda 2 - doblada version.  Yup, we saw it dubbed in Spanish.  We had a couple firsts.  First time at the theater.  First time watching a movie completely in Spanish.  First time at a theater with leather, reclining seats that will deliver food to your chair (although we didn’t partake in this feature).  

I really think I understood most of the movie.  Now I kind of want to go rent it from a Red Box when I’m home and see if I understood as much as I think I did.  It was a fun ending to a day of working at school, followed by taco night at home. 

#86 - Buy a painting before leaving Peru

Thursday, June 16, 2011

When my parents were here I saw a painting that I loved.  It was huge.  Last week I went back and still loved it.  It was still huge.  I didn’t know where I would put a painting that large, nor how I would effectively get it home.  The man kept trying to sell it to me but I told him I just didn’t have a place to hang it in my house.  As I was ready to leave he asked how big I wanted it.  I pointed to a picture in a more appropriate size.  He told me he would paint one for me, just like the big one, in the size I wanted.  I paid him part of the money and prayed it would be as great as the big one.  It was pretty close to amazing and very similar.  I’m so happy to have my new painting of a jungle scene in Peru.  The only problem? Now I want to go find a mountain scene, and a lake scene, and so many more!

#102 - Play Paintball

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Yes, #102.  More things that “should” have been on my 101 list have been brought to my attention, so here we go.  

Birthday celebrations for friends require you to step out of your comfort zone and participate.  Here you have Jared, Jessica, Me, and Megan ready to defend our turf.  Two of us had never played before, so it was a learning experience.  We played three rounds.  In round one, I was one of the last two people in!  Then I got hit in the leg.  I have a bruise to prove it!

It was a lot of fun, although I really don’t need to put myself into the line of fire any time soon!  However, I did get someone out, so I either have a decent shot or I got lucky.  Don’t I look tough?

#72 - Go surfing

Saturday, April 30, 2011

 Well, this one wasn’t quite as normal of a thought for me.  Surfing?  Who ever dreamed I’d go surfing?  I grew up in MN...we may have 10,000 lakes but waves are not big enough for such things! Yet, I’ve now lived on the Pacific Ocean for nearly 5 years where the waves are good.  I’ve even learned that the waves of Peru are especially good and famous, so why wouldn’t I try it here?  I went and watched a surf competition last semester for the world championships just an hour from home.

So, on this particular Saturday they were planning a birthday party for some of the married boys on staff and surfing was in the plans.  They hadn’t gone before either, so it was a learning experience for most of us.  I think about 9 of us went out, and out of those only a couple had tried before.  I happen to have the best teacher for such things as my roommate, so I wasn’t too worried about it.  We got out without too much problem.  The blessing this day? The waves were terrible...that meant I could get out without exhausting myself just paddling out.  The bad thing? The waves were terrible...you couldn’t really surf!  I saw a couple guys get up once or twice but that was it.  The real surfers stayed home that day.  Yet, Cindy helped me know when to try to catch a wave so that was good.

I may not have ever successfully stood up, but I did successfully ride a wave a couple times.  One time I caught a good ride on my tummy and then started to turn around only to have the wave catch me a second time and send me even further in to shore.  One time I tried to catch a wave but was fairly unsuccessful.  The only success that time was completely running over one of the birthday boys.  Luckily he saw me coming and got off his board...my board got stuck on his!  

Overall it was good experience.  I’ll have to try again someday.  Cindy said she’d take me when I go visit her in Florida some time.  The beaches are sandy there...note the rocks I walked on to get in the ocean here.  I think I prefer the sand...those rocks caused foot pain for a week! 

Photos: Big one - me entering the water with a little help from my friend who carried that board so I wouldn’t kill myself on those rocks.  Small on top - the girl surfing contingent.  Small on bottom - Cindy and I after we got out of the water successfully (that might have been the hardest part...those waves knock you right over!).

#55 - Use my crockpot...

Monday, April 25, 2011

 One of my goals was to go an entire month using my crockpot once a week.  That meant I needed to do it for 4 weeks in a row.  Well, tonight was number 4.  What was on the menu?

April 4 - Sweet ‘n sour meatballs - This one was a new crockpot recipe I found online.  We really enjoyed it!  I’d make slightly smaller meatballs next time - two was too much, but one wasn’t quite enough.

April 11 - Southwest chicken - not the prettiest picture ever, but it tasted really good!  Chicken, Salsa, corn, cream cheese.  You can’t go wrong with that combo served over rice!  This one was also a new treat for us.  I’d make it again and the neighbors enjoyed it too.

April 18 - Italian Chicken (with additions) sandwich - This is a recipe I’ve made lots of times, but today we added a twist.  Chicken, water, italian seasoning pack is the norm.  Today we decided to see what happened if we added some tomato sauce and cream cheese.  It was pretty tasty.  A little cheese shredded on top for good measure - delicious.

April 25 - Beef Stroganoff Casserole - this was one I found on line as well.  Tasty, but I’d modify one thing.  It says to put the noodles in at the beginning of the day.  8 hours later they were mush.  I’d make the noodles separate and dump them in at the end.  The neighbor kids enjoyed this one though!

There you have it.  A month of crockpot cooking. 

#64 - Eat Ceviche

Saturday, April 23, 2011

 Well, today was the day.  I’ve lived in Peru for nearly 5 years and never tried it before.  My excuse has been that I don’t like fish - which is true.  However, I’ve tried other random foods without fear.  One of the first questions a taxi driver, or most Peruvians, asks is if you like Ceviche.  I’ve lied for years and said yes...and then changed the food topic to all the other foods I truly do love - lomo saltado, tacu tacu, aji de gallina.  (I just couldn’t admit to all those Peruvians that I’ve lived here that long and not tried their prized dish!)

For those of you who don’t know, ceviche is fish that is cooked in a lime juice marinade.  It’s not really cooked at all, but the lime juice cures it.  They serve it with onions soaked in the same juice and then there is camote (sweet potato) and choclo (Peruvian corn) on the side.  

Will I eat it again?  Probably not.  However, it really wasn’t as bad as I expected. It was super limey and salty.  It really didn’t taste much like fish at all.  If I needed to eat it again, I would, but I probably will not willingly order it.  (P.S. Cindy wasn’t going to try, but she hates me now because I made her eat some too.)

Oh, and I also willingly tried calamari.  Not terrible.  It was a nice sunny day for trying new things. :)


#12 - Go in a Water Ball

Friday, April 8, 2011

 I completed my first item on my list.  Eden, our art teacher, arranged for an outing to the beach.  Who knew you could hire someone to come to the ocean, put you inside a giant ball, blow it up with a leaf blower, and then send you out to sea?  Crazy!  You could run, summersault, or roll around.  At least you were supposed to be able to.  The waves kept catching me which throws you off balance, but it was fun!

Five of us participated: Eden, the art teacher; Cindy, my roommate and 5th grade teacher; Amy, our librarian; Jeremy, our business keeper and my next door neighbor; and me.  So much fun.  Jeremy’s family came out to watch, along with Amanda - our English teacher.  I guess once they zipped me in and I started walking out to the ocean Josiah, who is 1.5 years old, was very concerned and kept calling me name!  Poor guy thought I was in trouble!

If you ever have the opportunity to climb inside a giant ball and pretend like you are in a gerbil ball, you should do it.  Stay tuned for the next item I accomplish on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days.



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