Nicaragua: Granada Bull Run

At the end of our Maranatha Nicaragua trip we had a day in the city of Granada to do some activities/sightseeing. In the morning I went zip lining and our guide told us that the yearly bull run celebration was that same day. We decided that it would be a great cultural experience to check it out and maybe even participate. I did not know what I was getting myself into. So later on that afternoon we headed out walking from our hotel towards the area where the bull run would be held. In a whole section of the city, bulls would be let out to roam the streets chasing and goring those dumb enough to get too close. The farther we walked the more and more crowded the streets became.  Every street edge and door way and window and wall and park area were jammed with spectators.

Ellen and a couple others from our group climbed up on tall wall on the street's edge, but there was no room there for Alex(andra), Dave and I and the others so we continued on walking down the street. All of a sudden everyone starting running around us, but as I made a start to run too, everything stopped.

Birdy Poo

Poop isn't very endearing right? Well that's what I thought. As as kid I decided the word "poop" was a disgusting word and I didn't like saying it, hearing it, or anything. So (many years later) when my friend Emma nicknamed me "poop" I was surprised that I found it to be affectionate rather than distasteful.

Now some of my friends and I fondly suffix "poo" to other's names - Alexpoo, Daviepoo, Elliepoo, Lissypoo, Emmapoo. Well you get the point.  Although some people don't seem to appreciate the loving use of the "poo" suffix in public. Maybe I've been wrong in my thinking and it's actually spelled pooh as in Pooh Bear and not "poo" at all. Daviepooh, Hansiepooh, Alexpooh: hmm nope, it's definitely not with an "h". It's all about the poo.

Speaking of poo, or poop rather, I wonder how many people have had the unfortunate event of being pooped upon by a bird. And I'm not talking about people who own birds.

it's all in the WINK

I like winking.

I know, I know, that sounds a little weird maybe, even to me! But it's true.
I wink at people (girls mostly) to say hello without saying hello, I think it's like a silent acknowledgement. Or say I'm across the room from my best friend Ellen and I catch her eye. Maybe we are sitting in a boring meeting, maybe she's in the middle of talking to someone "interesting," maybe I'm walking by and don't have time to talk. I wink at her and it's like the two of us are sharing something that no one else is a part. It's like we shared a silent secret. I could be saying "this meeting is so boring and I get that you are bored too" or I might be hinting mischievously "sooooo who is this that you are talking to??" Or it can just be a way to let her know I'm thinking about her at the moment when I can't or don't have time to talk.

So maybe I am reading a little too much into a wink. Maybe this is how I see things, but other people don't see a wink this way. I've never even bothered asking others. So today I did a bit of investigation. I asked some people what they felt like when someone winked at them. Most of the reactions I got were just from the question itself.

Fueling 2011

2011....what was so interesting about 2011? What do you remember the most from 2011?

As I think about this question right now, strangely the events that stick out to me right now from this year involve (almost) running out of gasoline. Now I've been driving for almost 6 years now and I had never come close to running out of fuel on a trip, until this year when it happened 3 times! Either I've become less responsible, or less aware of the gas meter, or something! Though I have to say it's really not all my fault....

It all started in April when my friend Ellen and I were driving to Edmonton.

Juice Fast - Day 5

Well folks, this is it. I've decided today will be my last day of juicing. Yeah, I know, I didn't make it to 10 days. But first of all, I don't feel fasting any longer will really give me any more health benefits (I could be wrong, of course). Secondly, I've lost 7 pounds in five days and I don't think I need to lose anymore. Drinking juice has lost its appeal. Also I think I have good enough self-control now...haha just kidding.

Today was great! I thought that it would be harder not to eat today because it's the weekend and I don't have work to occupy me from not eating. But I went out "frolicking" in the snow and that definitely distracted me from wanting to eat real food. I can't wait for tomorrow though! I've been told I shouldn't start off eating lots (especially unhealthy food) with a bang, because it will shock my body and undue whatever it is that this juice fasting did for me. But there are some things I'm really craving: pancakes, pasta & sauce (as mentioned earlier on Day 3), toast with butter and yeast flakes, pretty much anything savory at this point.

Juice Fast - Day 4

Jenn and I made different drinks for breakfast. She made cranberry, apple, lime juice. I drank some and it was really good!

For my own breakfast I made:
Grapefruit
Orange
Spinach (about a pound and it still doesn't make much juice)
Ginger
Broccoli stalks

This juice is really good! I love grapefruit juice and I can't taste the spinach or broccoli at all.

Juice Fast - Day 3

This morning Jennifer decided to only have vegetable juice, I wasn't quite as brave so I made my own juice with fruit in it. I'm scared I wouldn't be able to get just veggie juice down.

Breakfast:
Pears
Celery (5 stalks I think)
Little bit of ginger
1/2 a lemon
A bit of parsley
1/4 of an english cucumber
Carrots

It had little bits of pear pieces in it, maybe I didn't have the juicer on a high enough setting.

Juice Fast - Day 2

This morning I woke up late. Well actually Jenn woke me up as she was leaving for the school building. My roommate Ellen is gone, and she would make sure I am up if my alarm doesn't go off or something. Where's Ellen when I need her...  By the time I got down to the cafeteria Jenn had already made all the juice. What a sweetie.

Breakfast Juice
Ginger
1 Lemon
Carrots
Kale (put through the juicer this time)
Pears
Parsley