Friday, January 04, 2013

Happy High Seas Birthday!






























What: A Whale Watching Cruise, with Hornblower Cruises and Events.

Why: A celebration of Natalie, the Chickenblogger's birthday. To witness the southern migration of the California Gray Whale from Alaska to the Sea of Cortez, where the whales will give birth.

Where: San Diego Harbor, Bay, and Pacific Ocean, with views of Coronado, Coronado Islands, Baja California Norte, Sunset Cliffs, Mission Bay, La Jolla, Point Loma... and more

Who: Natalie and Geoff, and William, Alex, Max, and Maria

Whoa! I know, right? It's quite a spectacular adventure. And as it was a stormy day we enjoyed cloud watching as much as anything else.

Worth it: Yes! Absolutely something you should not pass up. Migration of the gray whale is annual, from December through April. Our luck was not great... we saw spouting, but little else. We did not feel in the least bit disappointed as the ride alone is fun, plus the skies were stunning, and there were dolphins riding the bow, and Pinnipeds, egrets, cormorants, pelicans, and great Naval sights.

Extra Whoa: Hornblower Cruises guarantees you'll see a whale, and they decided our experience did not meet their expectations, so we have six tickets to return for another great whale watching excursion!

Any questions?

{these moments}






A single Photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

:: Inspired by Soule Mama ::

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments, for all to find and see.

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Christmas Cat and Cookies

... and a candle.

Oooh, also chess, or checkers, cup, ceramic.

Lest anyone misinterpret my first post of the new year, and think I am melancholy, or moody, I offer a conventional and convivial post: Chango Cat on a chess board, and cookie crumbs on a Christmas and chicken scene characterized on a ceramic coaster. Naturally, this conveys my own unique brand of happiness.

This Is A New Year!

This is last year.

The whole New Year media dynamic has me feeling simultaneously overwhelmed with a sense of great portent, idealistic optimism, and dutiful determination... and underwhelmed.

Part of me wants to declare a mission statement for my eventual (within 3-6 months) climb to a new level of blogging glory, success, recognition, and fiscal freedom.

Part of me wants to call CB a good run, and then start a new blog where I edit contributions from readers (200 words or less, a romanitcal-type entry that is judged by readers for its ability to engage and stimulate.) Could you ever imagine (and why would you want to, honestly?) politicians writing *ahem* "Dirty?"
A warning: their writing is provocative, but only for how awkwardly bad it is.

In some ways I do feel the page turn, the new leaf, and I am motivated to embrace the fresh start that arrived, bright and early, January 1, 2013. It's a bit liberating to believe that last year is literally behind us, and good or bad, we are through with it, and what lies before us is clean, pure, unsullied, and glistening with virginal brand-new possibilities. (ugh... I hope reading the "Dirty" prose doesn't come up in my own writing like that again!)

Anyways. I did make some resolutions for the new year. Whatever failures or shortcomings 2012 held, certainly this year I can clean my office, purge our stores of multiple label makers, pare down our laundry loads, and vanquish the paper piles! Yes, cliche though it is, I have resolved to do better! Be better, have less, consume less, carry, store, horde, pack, save, worry, and fret less. Maybe this is partly to blame for me feeling overwhelmed... achieving less feels like a great deal more... to do, to accomplish, to adhere to.

The part of me that is underwhelmed, by New Year-hype, feels like 2012, even with its ups and downs, was too good to write-off. I do want to be better, and do better, but not because last year was such a disappointment. Rather, 2012 was an inspiration. Last year was so full of successes, and little victories, good strides, new perspectives, rich experiences, and love, that this year I feel bolstered, motivated, and willing to trust my hope and faith, to continue in the same invigorated, grateful journey that we've been enjoying... uhm...

Too much? Yeah, it's not easy to write honestly, with giddy vim, about happy lives and unbridled joy, without sounding like a politician trying to expound on _flailing bosoms and heaving loins_... however sincere the intent, stating it can be too much, almost _dirty_

It's okay to say less.


Originally, I meant to skip posting anything at all. I was going to wait for these contrary thoughts, and muddled musings to subside, and for the new year to feel like another day, any other day. Also, all of our whale watching photos are on a new drive and inaccessible, for the moment, so instead of nautical, seafaring, sunset pictures for inspiration, I was left alone with my compulsive-must-write-something blogging thoughts... which is not always comprehensible, or necessary, or necessarily worthwhile.

Should I stop?

Maybe I should stop.

Hello?

Hey! Happy New Year! This year is going to be great! Rainbows for all!