Fashion doesn't agree with me...

I'm not a large person.. and I don't mean I'm not fat.. I mean.. I'm vertically challenged.  This doesn't mean I'm oddly proportioned (except for Tuner and Volume (aka my boobs)), it just means I'm small.

So when I buy sunglasses, I try to buy frames that are small.  Mostly so you can still tell I have a face, but also so I don't look like a bug.

I got some fake-lys right before I left Bahrain.  A white pair and a black pair.  The black pair broke right before Thanksgiving.  I dropped them on my way in the hangar and the arm broke halfway down and there was no fixing it.  They were still wearable, but the remaining arm piece kinda digs into my temple and it looks kinda silly.  The white pair have endured a LOT of abuse from living in my purse.  The arms are broken in several places, but they are still wearable.  Ghetto, but wearable.

Before leaving for Australia, I really wanted to have new sunglasses so that way I wouldn't have to be embarrassed about the ghetto-ness that was my Fake-lys.  On Sunday, I went by Kohl's since I have several coupons to there from Teh Sister.  I didn't have anyone with me to help me judge, which was tricky, but luckily, I have a cell phone....

This is what I sent to Teh Sister via text message:

Big and rounded.

big and squared.

I'm not actually sure what is up with those strands of hair that are standing straight up.  I guess I rock the Alfalfa look since no one mentioned it to me?

big and flared.

big and white.

Hello, 1993 called, they want their glasses back.

When I saw the last pair, I knew I had to take a photo with them to sent to Teh Sister.  I'm pretty sure that Teh Mom had a pair of actual glasses in frames like this, except the frames were gold instead of black.  I used to wear Teh Mom's glasses around because I wanted glasses too (everyone else in my family has them, I felt left out).  I also later wanted braces.. except I actually got that wish.. partially.

She said that she would actually go out in public with me if I was wearing the white ones so I bought those and a black pair that are not pictured here.  YAY for new sunglasses!  Although.. I probably should have picked up a case for them since I'm so abusive....

This (permanent) idea I have...

For a while, I've wanted a new tattoo.  I wasn't sure what I wanted though.  My personal rule is that I have to have wanted it for at least 6 months before I get it.  That does not mean I have 6 months to plan what I want, no no.  That means, final design decided on, then I have to wait 6 months to get it.  I feel like I've talked about this rule before, which originally came from Teh Mom about piercings, but I view piercings as not permanent, so for me, that doesn't count.

Something permanent though?  At least 6 months.

For a while I tossed around the idea of a side tattoo (like side of my torso).  I didn't like it for long enough.
Then I tossed around the idea of something on my foot.  I still like that idea.  But I wasn't sure what I wanted.
I considered an anchor, representative of my Navy choice, but that feels pretty cliche.  Every now and then I see someone, including Teh BFF, on Pinterest post pics of foot tattoos, but none of them are really "permanent" material for me.  It's not that they aren't good, its just its not for me.

Recently, I've been leaning more towards a word tattoo.  I like the simplicity of it.  But, at the same time, I also would want some design to it.  Some wavy lines or something.  IDK.

Within the last week or so, I think I've finally pinpointed the words that I want.

I pass a church when I go into town and last week I was having a pretty crappy week.  Ok really crappy week.  Mostly work stuff, but add to that a lovely batch of PMS and it was just a disaster that started to spiral out of control.  I was headed into town that day and noticed the sign said:  Be still, and know that I am God.

I really, really, really, struggle with the "be still" part.  I mean, sometimes I struggle with the "and know" part as well because when things aren't glaringly obvious I tend to be more skeptical (I'm working on that faith thing).  But the "be still" part is really hard for me.  I'm always doing something.  I pray and thank God for my blessings (because I have a LOT of blessings to be grateful for), but rarely to I just still myself to listen.

For the rest of the week I looked to the sign for that moment of peace, but I realized, it was only on one side of the sign!  I was actually disappointed to see their message about their Wednesday evening service on the other side.  I wanted more Psalms 46:10.  Sadly, every time I passed it coming from the correct direction, I always missed it.  I was singing to the radio and not paying attention.  I was passing some slow driver and not paying attention.  I was talking on the phone and not paying attention.  And that's just it.  It's hard for me to "be still".

So when I saw this tattoo design, I feel in looove.

(image)

I like the swirly parts, I like the colored parts (not so sure about the feathers), I loved the words.  I would definitely add "and know" underneath the "be still".  As for the feathers, I was considering something like paisley/henna related.

Getting henna in Bahrain was one of my favoritest things about that place.  To the point that my last day in the country Shoulda Been a Cowgirl and Miss Difficult Last Name waited ALL DAY with me to get henna. No jk, it was a 7 hour wait.  Apparently, getting henna around an Islamic holiday is not a good idea.  Sadly, I wasn't aware that a holiday was coming up, or I would have planned better.  We actually left and came back later (which one of the locals suggested we do).

I'll have to give it some more thought to plan out the logistics.  I really like the tattoo that is shown in the picture.  I'd put it on my foot instead of my shoulder and I'd probably alter the colors of the feathers if I was to get that exact one, but that's pretty unoriginal, imo.  I think I'm going to stalking this site for some inspiration and see how do-able it actually would be to incorporate henna into this concept.

Anyone have any suggestions?  Anyone have any art skillz?  Anyone know a good tattoo artist that is a reasonable distance from me?  Anyone wanna get a tattoo with me?

Fill in the Blank Friday #1

I've been working on making friends here in S.MD and I met a couple at church  (I will have to figure out a Teh nickname for them as we get to know each other better!).  She writes a blog that I'm reading and one of things that I really wanted to copy (isn't that what we do in the blogging world?) was fill in the blank Fridays!

Hopefully, I can manage to stay on this boat, as it is just a weekly post, but we all know how I end up being about things like blogging schedules..... oops.

At least this doesn't require an extra work (like taking a photo) other than some typing, which I'm really good at.  :)

So for my first fill in the blank Friday, here we goooo!

(image)

1.  The best surprise ever would be: Teh Bear telling me he found a job and that he needs me to fly down to FL to help him move up to MD...  or Teh Bear being moved into my apartment when I came back from Australia.  Either of those are valid options.


2.  Laughing with anyone are my favorite memories (ok, I took some liberty on that one).

3.  The hardest, but most worthwhile thing I've ever done was: gone to college, joined the navy, never, ever, ever getting back into a relationship with someone after we'd broken up.


4.  The best part of my day is: Getting to talk with Teh Bear since he usually makes me laugh/smile.


5.  Something I like that most people don't is: Livermush.


6.  Something I am willing to fight for is: fairness.


7.  Something you might not know about me is: Rarely do I believe that I'm a nice person and I often worry that I'm being "mean" or "bitchy".




YAY for first times!!  I love doing new things on Teh Blog!!

Panoramic Scotland!

When I was a junior in high school, I went on a short term exchange (for a long weekend) to Boston, MA.  The family that I stayed with was pretty awesome.  The bedroom they had arranged for me was actually their office space.  One entire wall was covered in cork board, which was practically covered in photos.  But one set of photos in particular has never faded from my memory.

To the top left of the wall, there was a set of 3 photos.  Each different photo made up a part of a rainbow.  They had printed out the photos, then laid them over each other to create a panoramic view of the rainbow.  I was smitten.  I have always wanted to do the same thing and never did.  I've never considered myself a pro photographer, I'm still learning about using a flash and some of the controls on my camera.  I was satisfied just taking normal, one shot, photos.

But in Scotland, there was all this beautiful scenery.. and one shot just wasn't doing it.  I couldn't get the entire scene in just one photo.  So I started doing this crazy thing.  I'd stand as still as possible, and scan the horizon while simultaneously taking photos.  I'd try to line it up so it was a straight-ish line, but with no tripod, I only did fairly.

I knew there was a high tech way to make this panoramic shot that I'd seen on the cork board.  But, since it was my first time, I had to do some research.  I googled panoramic photo photoshop to get instructions on how to do it.  After several days of trial and error (these suckers take a long time to load, especially using RAW files), these are my final products!

They might not be the best of the best, but I'm super impressed with how well they came out considering it was my first time.

Helpful Hint: To see them in big, click on the photo...  You just won't get the captions this way.

This shot is from Urquhart Castle (ruins)... which makes that body of water Loch Ness.  Do you see Nessie?

Same shot as above, just in B&W.

This was from the top of Spynie Castle (ruins).  In the distance (to the left) you can see Lossiemouth.

This one is from Duffus Castle (ruins).  RAF was actually flying over head (which you will see in another Scotland post), so I had to time this photo right not to get Tornado's in the photo.  Everything was soooo green.  I loved it!

This was taken on the way to Eilean Donan Castle.  We pulled off on the side of the road to take photos because the landscape was sooooooo beautiful.  

This was taken from the top of  Urquhart Castle (ruins).  I climbed some crazy narrow, slippery stairs to make it to the top.  This makes it worth it.

This is my favorite panoramic of all.  I left it uncropped because I didn't want to cut out the cemetery at the bottom.  This is actually a 345° view from where I was standing.  The only thing not photographed was stuff directly behind me, which actually would connect this photo and make it a circle (not sure you do that in 2D).  But in real life, the road in front of the mountain on the left actually connected to the road at the very far right.  

New favorite thing to do with my camera!!!!  Guess what you get to look forward to when I come back from Australia?!?!?!? :D  Teh Bear suggested I take my tripod with me to Australia so I could get even better shots.  Maybe I'm just a tripod snob, but I think I did fairly well without the tripod.

PS.  I still want to find a rainbow and do a printed out panoramic shot, because that is still the most awesome photography thing ever, in my opinion, of course...

In the meantime...

I'm still working on Scotland #3 post pics...  but this was too funny to not share, and too long to share on FB....

I was at work and Teh Bear signed onto FB so I was chatting with him.  Then this conversation actually happened:

Teh Megan: I feel guilty, I had to destroy someone’s foreign passport today.

Teh Bear: I don't see why you are feeling guilty. I mean did you decide it had to be done, or were you told to do it?

tM: cause its a PASSPORT!  it had to be done. i was told to do it.  it was like when i started highlighting my textbooks in college after growing up with the "we don't write in books" rule.  but not like, slit my wrists guilty..

tB: no reason for guilt to enter the picture then

tM: just it was an important document and i SHREDDED THAT SUCKA guilt

tB: it's job.  and you did it

tM: sometimes i dont think you understand my guilt problems.

tB: it's like naming animals that are going to be killed.  makes you feel guilty when you have to do it

tM:  WHAT?  Not related.

tB: i'm just saying.  naming farm animals isn't a common practice as far as I've seen.  cause I certainly asked.

tM:  lol

tB: something about killing buddy the chicken for dinner makes people think twice

tM: way to quickly and DEFINITELY change the subject.  Lol.  Buddy the chicken?  Who names their chickens?  How do you even tell chickens apart?  We should ask Teh Ginger.  He’d know.

........side conversation with Teh Ginger was had.  I inquired if he had named his chickens.......

tM: Teh Ginger named the chickens.

tB: not the same.  I would name egg laying chickens.  I don't have to break their neck or pluck their feathers.  I mean it would different if I named the Chicken....say...Jesse and he acted like an asshole.  I'd have no remorse for killing that chicken.  but I mean....I couldn't name it Megan then have to kill it and eat it.  I'd starve.  Lol

tM: hahaha.  thanks babe.  i love you too.

Does anyone else have ridiculously funny and strange conversations with their significant other?  Because really, Teh Bear (and sometimes Teh Sister and Teh BFF) are the only people that I have these strange types of conversations with.  Although, Teh BFF and I have a lot more random conversations that jump from subject to subject with no warning.

What I learned today: Teh Bear wouldn't name an animal he was planning on killing, Megan.  Good to know.  I'm going to see if I start calling his steaks "Megan", if he'll eat them.. or if the rule only applies when he's seen it while it's alive....  

(image)

Adventures in Scotland... #2

One day, I decided to take a walk.  I really didn't get to go very far because it was extremely windy and I had to meet with someone, so I only had about 45ish minutes to be out.  I walked down to the beach and then back up the street behind the hotel.

Moray Golf Course.  People were out here in the rain, wind, sun, snow..  These people are dedicated to their sport.

Snow capped mountains make me happy.

The lighthouse

Bye-bye, Birdie.

We can save your life here.

<3

The lighthouse, closer

Everything in Scotland grows.

Boats at the Marina

Don't mind me, I'm just watchin you.

Stotfield Hotel, where most of us stayed.

I bet this place is where it's at...  probably best place to find a Scottish man in a kilt... before dark.

The church up the street.

The school up the street.

View from the top of the hill.

This wasn't the church bell, but cool bell nonetheless.

Seriously serious about golf.

Seagull, master of the chimney.

EVERYTHING grows.  Even the houses.

Who needs to stop, when you can just "give way?"

Mandatory flower photos.  These were at the hotel.

After these, I went and picked up my rental car!  Which was an almost disaster.  I got a ride from one of the Chief's who was going to pick up someone in Aberdeen.  After a fiasco just trying to find the place, I get in and find the Enterprise desk and wave him off.  So Chief left.

The girl working the desk comes up and asks me when I need a rental.
I say, "today."
She says, "I'm sorry, I don't have anything available right now."
Me:  What?
Her:  I'm sorry, I don't have anything available right now?
Me:  Uhhh.. seriously?
Her: *glares at me*
Me:  *panic takes over, I run back to the door to verify that Chief really has left.  He had.  I was stranded in Elgin with no way to call anyone, nor did I know anyone's number to call.*  Nothing... at all?  Because, I got a ride here, and he already left and I have no way to call him to say come back.. and I'm kinda stranded here.  *I feel tears start to well up*
Her:  Let me check something.

She proceeded to print out some papers, crossed some items off, circled some things, then a miracle happened...
Her:  I do have a car available.  It was just dropped off though, so let me go get it cleaned.
Me:  If it wasn't inappropriate, I'd give you a hug right now.  Thank you SOOO much!

We took care of the paperwork, I looked the car over, and I was on my way.

Driving was much fun...  and not as challenging as I expected.  :)

That evening I went out to dinner at a place called 1629.  That was the night I had Tapas and failed to get a photo.  But I did get a photo of the pancakes for dessert!  Before going in for dinner, I got these photos on my phone (since I didn't have my camera with me):

When it rains a lot, you tend to get a lot of rainbows!  

The beach area across from the 1629 restaurant.  It was starting to drizzle, but this photo made me wish I'd brought my camera along!

Adventures in Scotland.. #1

**notes are at the end**

The day we landed in Scotland, I was exhausted, in excruciating pain, drugged, and had to work 6 hours after we were wheels on the ground.  That night, after work, I came back to the hotel and slept like a rock.  That next morning, I woke up, had my first "warm breakfast"(a) and found 3 other guys that were going out and asked if I could tag along with them.  They agreed to suffer my (awesome) company.. and so we headed up towards Loch Ness, which was an hour and a half away from Lossiemouth.  We passed through Elgin and Inverness (b) on the way.

At a pull off area on the way towards the Loch Ness Exhibition.  This was just a small village we thought was quaint, so we stopped to take photos.

The roads in Scotland were MUCH FUN!  And since we were all driving rentals...
who cared about wearing out their tires?

Oh, thats just some castle ruins.  No big deal.

A weed that grows all over Scotland.  It doesn't look friendly.

The day was nice, but it had rained the day prior, making this possible.

A boat that was used on Loch Ness to probably do something important.

A wee little yellow submarine, used to look for Nessie and map the bottom of the Loch.

NESSIE!!!! (c)

Just this random castle, which we later stopped at.

We found our way to the castle ruins, which we learned was Urquhart Castle.
We decided not to tour it, because it cost £7 and it was just ruins. (d)

Since we opted not to tour the castle ruins, we chose to drive around the NW countryside, which we'd been told by our own VX-1 Squadron Leader was beautiful.  Maybe in a different season, we decided.

But we found this house... with a water wheel.  Which was AWESOME. (e)

A river that runs into Loch Ness.

Maison de Famille.. which I would logically translate into Family of Maison?

Excuse me, your house is a castle, Family of Maison. (f)

Due to my mysterious car sickness, I think the guys started feeling bad for me, so we headed back towards civilization.  I think the curvy, one-lane roads finally got to me since I was sitting in the backseat.  We stopped at a sporting goods store in Inverness the guys were interested in.  I'd never heard of it and prices seemed pretty outrageous.  They did have this really cool spoon/fork/knife thingy that was pretty cool, but the price was like, eh, you look so much nicer on this shelf.

We had passed Brodie Castle on the way to Loch Ness, so we decided to check it out on our way back towards Lossiemouth.  While the guys were peeing, I read that the weekend we were there was the daffodil festival.  Daffodils are a super big deal in Scotland.  I didn't really look up why, but seriously, a BIG DAMN DEAL.

Just some Scottish folks, visiting the Daffodil Festival at Brodie Castle.

Brodie Castle.  The first time. (g)

We had arrived right at 4, which meant the last tour had started 30 minute prior.  We were pretty crushed.  So we walked around the grounds then found the gift shop in the back.  I kept back tracking against the people traffic and found the kitchen and the cafe.. and presumably the toured part of the castle.

Kitchen.  So many pot and pan options!

Just a super huge mortar and pestle.  Chillin.

Daffodils were on each table since it was the festival weekend.

My millionaire's shortbread and peppermint tea.  Yum.

"Look ya'll, evening tea!  Classy!"

Coolest courtyard ever.  I decided.

Seriously.. So awesome.  It was also like a foot massage if you were wearing thin enough shoes.

After our tea time, we headed back to Lossiemouth for dinner.  We were all pretty tired.  After dinner, I'm sure there was internet time (h).  Luckily, I didn't have to work that night, so I slept really good that night.

Notes:
(a) warm breakfast included: 2 poached eggs, ham (but it was called bacon), sausage link, beans (like pork n beans), and a roasted tomato.  Of all that, I would eat the eggs and ham (but the fat had to be cut away).  So each morning I usually went down and ordered 2 poached eggs, ham, and toast.  I often had a small bowl of Frosted Flakes while I was waiting on my food.  Breakfast was free.. which made me happy.

(b) Elgin and Inverness were pretty much the closest big towns from Lossiemouth.  There were several smaller villages, Lossiemouth sized or smaller.  Scotland only actually recognizes 5 major cities, via Wikipedia, I know, solid resource Teh Megan.

(c) I paid £6.5 to learn that Nessie isn't real.

(d) I did eventually pay the £7.... which gets into another story for another day.

(e) Obviously, this is someone's house.. which probably means this was private property.  We'd actually been looking for a driveway for an old church, but we turned down this road which passed the church.  As we slowed down and gawked over the awesome water wheel, this car comes flying down the driveway.  To say the driver skidded to a stop might be a little exaggerated, but it was all definitely a little scary for innocent tourists.  We explained that we were just trying to turn around, but really loved his waterwheel.  I think he was in awe of the fact that we were Americans, so he said ok, gave us the stink eye, and backed out of the driveway so we could leave after we'd turned around.

(f) No one was home.  This castle/house/living arrangement had a name, but I have no idea what it was because by this point, my head had started to hurt and my stomach was like... y u punish me from backseat?

(g) Brodie Castle and I almost didn't happen.  I went back twice after this.

(h) Internet was only available in the lobby of the hotel.  A.N.N.O.Y.I.N.G.  The hotel had a stereo they used in the lobby and they played ONE cd, all day.  It was 70/80s easy listening music.  After the first few times of hearing it, I started going crazy.  If there was only US folks in the lobby using the internet and the disc was playing, I'd go straight to the stereo and turn it all the way down before I sat down to begin my internet time.  Several people thanked me after I did it on different occasions, which made me feel justified.