Urban Escapes

 

    I know with Summer raging full force right now, getaways may seem like a moot point, right? Not everyone can get away for the summer or if they have, they may need another vacation before settling back in to the daily grind. There are those who are chained to the desk at work or at the home office (ah hem) and just need that quick retreat without booking reservations to Cancun. The escape will most likely happen locally so I suggest to everyone to seek out those spots that soothe your soul. For those of us who live in Washington state I have found one such place. It depends on what tames your stress but I offer for your consideration the lovely city of Gig Harbor.
      Gig Harbor is a small city on the western side of the state of Washington. It is a fishing port bringing in commercial and private fishing boats, has commercial oyster beds, and a fish hatchery. It can be accessed from  Tacoma or from Bremerton. I live in Tacoma and in order for me to get there I have to take the historic Narrows Bridge. Crossing The Narrows is a pleasure because the views are amazing. Granted The Narrows is a toll bridge and yes, the toll was recently raised but for the occasional getaway, it isn't going to break the bank.
     I was meeting with one half of my charming real estate team, Georgiann Yost. I may be moving to the area (it's that lovely) and Georgiann enjoys showing me the local flora and fauna. We had lunch at the Tides Tavern and we both had the grilled steak salad. It was yummy, very fresh, and the steak was nice and tender. I  had a great Margarita to enhance my summer meal. The Tides sits on the water across from a shoreline reminiscent of New England. Fishing boats come and go to the dock and we even saw a sea plane land while we were there!

    There are farmer's markets where the food comes from right up the street. Those into sports can sink a putt on the greens or take a riding lesson at the many horse farms. If I wanted to I could have whipped out the bikini and gotten a tan on the beaches. In Washington, we like to hide behind white lies about the excessive rain when asked about the Seattle Metro area. We know the rain gives us the natural beauty that is capable of hiding an eight foot monster. Gig Harbor has all the lush forest and bays, lakes, lagoons, and inlets to take an extraordinary hike
   By far the most wonderful thing about Gig Harbor is the slower pace. When you cross the bridge you get the sense you have landed on an island. The beauty will make your heart race while you slow your breathing and relax. A very "AH" moment! When you're ready to pull your eyeballs off the computer screen here in Washington state, head over to Gig Harbor and spend a wonderful afternoon.                 
      

Breathing in the Mystical

    I had a date with the Bard again today. I had to finish King Richard for class this week. The Jekyll and Hyde Richard was a curious figure and I look forward to our class discussion. Appreciation for my studies goes without saying but the Bard can wreak havoc on the brain cells. After hours of "art thous", I needed a break. I decided a hike was in order. A hike can always invigorate me but I chose to work my body while soothing my soul.
    I chose to take my hike at the beach, Titlow beach specifically. I had never been to Titlow beach but anywhere I can find a natural body of water is my nirvana. This beach is about 10 minutes from where I live and is at the dead end of a major street. The drive was hum drum until I was out past my normal stomping ground. The urban commercialism made way for a lovely residential area. Large, stately homes and small, beach dive, houses mixed together but united by the twinkle lights of the holiday. As I topped the crest of a hill, a mystical scene came into view. The far shores on the opposite side of Puget Sound were shrouded with mists, combined with the still waters, an empty wood boardwalk, and the occasional pelican. Once over that hill, it was if I was entering a different world, one without books, computers, and deadlines. As it is the off season, the little boardwalk is hosting only the random human. Finding a trail, I set off to explore. The water was crystal clear many feet out from the shoreline. I breathed in and smiled as I sensed the salt tang in the air. The only sound that could be heard was the lapping of the waves against the rocks.
    While at the beach I made a mental note to visit the little seafood shanty in the near future. When the time came to depart for the grocery store, I didn't want to leave. When I lived in LA, I had my little hiking hideaway from the city and here, Titlow may have to be my urban getaway. 
    I hope everyone had a fabulous day and I hope during your busiest holiday planning, you were able to get away to your own mystical place. Have a blessed evening everyone.       

Hello everyone,
      Well I'm bushed but my brain needs to be focused on Shakespeare. The Bard is a brilliant literary mind and holy cow, he takes every neuron in my brain firing precisely at the right time to figure him out.
      We are almost done with the Bard so I'm ordering my books for my next term. Yikes college textbooks are ridiculously expensive! I'll owe my life's blood to pay off my student loans!
       Next term I'll be studying medieval literature which I think will fascinating. A lot of folklore and fairy tales came from this time in history. I was pleased to see a TV show the other day that explained the cultural background of Santa Claus. It was quite an interesting show! Ah but you know me, I'm all about the legend of anything so of course Santa falls into that category.
      I hope everyone who didn't have to work today had a restful day and for those of us that did work, have a great evening. Good night.   

Season's Ponderings

Season's Blessings everyone!
     So here I sit contemplating what to do now that my degree program is coming to a close. Well, ok I have a little over a year but I simply must hunt up a new job. I sat down to draw up a  new resume and it occurred to me I have no professional experience in writing. I have been published in a magazine but I wasn't paid so I don't think I can count it. What does one do? Apparently there are student and entry level resumes, I think that may be the best way to go. All of the free templates ask for personal contact information so, of course, I prepare to let my typing fingers fly. My hemming and hawing reflect the fact that this is all new to me. My eyes begin to wander and stumble across some helpful tips provided by my chosen free resume site. There is mention of a more professional email address instead of the fun types we have for utility use. Well heck! So now I have to create a new email address just to start applying for jobs! I vaguely recall a media class in which we were required to have a Gmail account. After a bit of investigation I discovered a solution!
   My media class at good old SNHU forced me into uncomfortable territory. It required a Gmail account, a Facebook account, and a blog. Tech savvy is not my forte but it seems the more I write, the more techie I get. At any rate, I decided to take this blog out, pin it to the line and beat out the dust. Perhaps someone will stumble across it and give me the opportunity to prove myself. In the mean time, I'll put that resume together and start sending out over the webwaves and see what floats to the surface.
   At this time of year and all throughout the year I wish everyone the warmest of wishes. May everyone have a beautiful Christmas and cheers to a fabulous new year.    

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIehHxcEuGM

Stephen King's Legend on Facebook

  I have been exploring the Facebook pages of a few authors in my study of the potential of new media. I checked out the pages of Stephen King, V.C. Andrews, and Clive Barker. They are just a few of my favorites, I grew up reading these authors. I chose to critique Stephen King's page because the page is kept up well. It is maintained by Doubleday/Anchor books and states the page is not maintained by the author. V.C. Andrews and Clive Barker either aren't keeping them up or they are kept up by fans.
  The first image you see on Stephen King's Facebook page is a huge wall of books. There is also a 'Like' link with what appears to be 3.9 million people who like Stephen King. If I'm not mistaken that is the population of Los Angeles.
  There are great links for some upcoming projects such as a sequel to The Shining and apparently a prequel to be done by Warner Brothers. The most recent posting was yesterday so they do a good job of keeping the page up to date. There is a 'Likes' listing for what either Stephen King or Doubleday likes but it includes H.P. Lovecraft so I won't question it. Anyone who likes H.P. Lovecraft is OK in  my book. It is nice to see fans are posting some of their finds on Stephen King so there is a circle happening here that shares the author's projects. The page promotes one project, a fan answers with a find of his own. I love that there is a hand written letter posted by King when he was fourteen years old and submitting to a magazine. In his letter he was a humble kid, it was very charming. The letter humanizes the super star author that is Stephen King. The page is littered with quotes by King, giving him a presence on his own page.
  Overall, I think Mr. King's page really works well for marketing his genius.     

   Good Morning everyone, I'd like to take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Angel Hiott and I am in a New Media and Publishing class. We are studying blogs, SEO, and social networking sites. I'm a sophomore at Southern New Hampshire University and will graduate with a B.A. in creative writing and English with a specialty in fiction and a minor in art history.
   I enjoy reading horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, and mythology. I tend to write in the horror/fantasy vein but in recent years, my interest in folklore has started to affect my writing. I also like to write in an Erma Bombeck fashion. She, of course, is the queen!
   My interest in folklore and legends stems from my love of cryptids and mystery. I believe our fairy tales, legends, and myths have a basis in reality. The more I study fairy tales, the more evidence I find that at least parts of them are real. I hope you enjoy some of my works as I publish them and maybe I can help change your opinion of what a fairy tale really is.      
  I live in Tacoma Washington with my dog Artax, and my two kitties, Goblin and TiaDalma.