I Want to Talk About Me....

If you're not familiar with One Little Word, you can read more about it on Ali Edwards' blog here http://aliedwards.com/. Ali Edwards is a scrapbooker/artist from Portland.

The idea behind one little word is that each January you chose one word for yourself - a word that you can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as you go about my daily life. It's like a lighter version of a New Year's Resolution.

I have chosen different words each year, and had limited success. But this year, I chose the word "me". Since the surgery last summer, I am finding a need to be not totally self-involved, but to do some things that are solely for me, for my benefit, things that make me happy or improve my life in some way. I hope that this doesn't make me totally selfish. I have always been all too willing to sacrifice myself for other people and their needs and I think it's time that I spend some time on my own self-improvement campaign.

Right now that means going to the gym at least three times during the week and trying to just do some stretching type things over the weekend. This means that we are not having very elaborate meals during the week - sorry Brent. Brent has been very understanding and helps in the preparation so we're not eating at 10 at night...only 8! This means that we don't do many other things after work in the evenings either except appointments such as hair cuts, chiropractor, etc.

I am doing this because I need to, certainly not because I'm enjoying it. I apologize that I am just not one of those people who get the big rush from exercising. No, I don't feel better after I do it. I am not energized. I am not happier. Quite frankly, it is just one more job, one more obligation. But, I need to do this for me.

Nary a Romance in Sight

Ok, I think I mentioned that I wanted to keep track of how many books I read this year. If you look here on my blog, you will see an on-going list of said books. In conversation with acquaintances last weekend, I mentioned that I was an avid reader. Brent snorted, in that manly way he assume sall other men will admire. "Yeah, romances." This from the man who is lucky to read three fiction books in a single year. Plenty of magazines land in the floor library beside his bed, and the occasional book on the latest training fad, but few fiction books. And I must say that those three fiction books will be ones that I recommend to him.

All this aside, it will be interesting to see how much variety there is in what I read. There will certainly be the occasional fluffy titillating romance novel I'm sure, but I think the selection will be more eclectic than my snorting guffawing husband believes. One thing I will certainly admit, there will be little nonfiction in my selections.

Seven books during the first month of the year is pretty good I think. Although, that will only be 84 in the year. I may have to step up the pace and throw in a few extra romances for good measure!

Flagler College

This private liberal arts college is beautiful. Originally the Ponce de Leon Hotel, it was constructed in 1888 by Henry Flagler.

The attention to detail everywhere is amazing. Flagler invited only the creme de la creme of society to stay at this incredible hotel.

The hotel was constructed in only 18 months. This is the rotunda as you walk in the front doors.

A large parlor is located to the left of the rotunda. As the gentlemen checked into the hotel the women were pampered in the parlor. This room still houses 11 original Tiffany chandeliers.

The tour also took us into the college cafeteria which was originally the hotel restaurant. There are Tiffany windows all along the top. It is really a beautiful room which doubled as the ballroom during Flagler's time.

About Town

These are just some miscellaneous pictures taken as we walked around St. Augustine. The Spanish architecture and coquina building material was evident everywhere.

This is the Government House and it is 410 years old. It was here that the Spanish governor turned control of eastern Florida over to the United States in 1821. Today the building houses a museum displaying archeological artifacts which was very interesting.

I took this picture for Kera and Chris. Chris is always interested in vegan treats!

Castillo de San Marcos National Park is located in St. Augustine.

The fort was constructed by the Spanish to basically protect St. Augustine from British encroachment.

It took 23 years to build the fort (1672-1695). The fort, like so many other buildings in St. Augustine, was constructed of coquina.

This is an example of the sleeping quarters. Each bunk slept 4 men, two on the bottom and 2 on the top. The end of each bunk also held 4 rifles, and had 4 pegs for clothes.

Brent always has his pictue taken with the cannons no matter where we go!

At each corner of the fort there were lookout stations.

We were lucky enough to be at the fort when the re-enactors set off the cannon.

You can see the lighthouse far in the distance in this final picture.

Daytona Beach

Yes, the sky is a beautiful blue but it's only about 62 degrees with a brisk ocean breeze. Brrrrr. We walked along the boardwalk and took in the sights.

Here's the pier. Not exactly the pier at Ocean City, but it's hard to imagine what it would be like during the beach season.

You can tell we're a little chilly! Crazy boys.

The clock tower and the amphitheater are made of coquina, an aggregate mateial including sea shells.

How Race Fans Are Created

Although I'm not a car or Nascar fan, how could we possibly go to Daytona and not take a tour of the Speedway? This 2-hour tour was well worth the time.

Here's Paul in the garage area. Generally you can look in the window and see the mechanics working on the cars. We were walking in the fan area and Brent found the way to Pit Road and one of the cars in the Rolex series races.

You can ride along in one of the Richard Petty cars for $143 or you can actually take a class and drive the car yourself. In the video you will see two cars. The first is the pace car for the second car with the novice driver. I can't begin to tell you how much I wanted to do a ride along. Next time I will definitely be doing that.

The tour takes you down along Victory Lane and you have time to have your picture taken there.

These pictures were taken from the sky box, looking down on the track and down on the main grand stand. I can't imagine what kind of zoo this place would be like during a race. The grandstands on both the front and back stretches hold almost $150,000 fans. That doesn't include the pit areas, the infield, etc. Crazy!

This is the car that won the Daytona 500 last year. I'm so pathetic I have no idea who even won the race last year, but hey, it's a cool orange car with cool stickers!

This video shows some cars going around turn 3 or 4. The sounds are so cool. Man, I really want to ride in one of those cars!