Posts tagged ‘video’

Oct 15

Pop Quiz, Hotshot!

I always get blog crushes. Some of them go the way of schoolgirl crushes, fading back into the mutual oblivion from which they sprung. But some of them have turned into truly lovely friendships. In that respect, my cup runneth over; I’m so fortunate.

Anyway, a blogger I’m crushing on right now is Clay Morgan. I know, you’re probably so shocked to hear that – but it’s true! I’ve really enjoyed his site, claywrites.com, and I loved his new book. Clay blogs about pop culture, history and the meaning of life, and his posts usually give me a lot to think about. And if you’ve been here a while, then you know I love that.

Clay recently submitted to an interview by me (and let me tell you, I did not know what I was doing). I’ll be posting it in pieces to finish out UNDEAD month, and yes, I squeezed that much material out of him. Poor man. He’s got patience, I’ll give him that.

Today I’m sharing something I had a lot of fun with: a Pop Quiz! Go ahead and play along at home; you know you want to.

So I think I won, don’t you? Yes, I know that wasn’t a contest. Don’t be silly.

But those voices in my head are totally real. No matter what that picture of Clay said.

♦

ps: My favorite part is when Clay has such a hard time deciding between his beloved historical figures. I almost felt bad for making him choose. But not bad enough to let him out of it.

Aug 2

15 Comments

Crabbing With Dad

I spent last week at my parent’s river house, and it was just the vacation I needed!

While I was there, I got to go crabbing with my dad, who started out by crabbing off of his dock. What I learned from that is there are crabs right there at the dock. Well, I wasn’t planning on swimming in that water anyway! At some point, he started placing his pots out in the river, but last week was the first opportunity I had to see them.

We went out twice a day to work the crab pots, and something interesting happened every time. I saw a school of fish jumping out of the water, this way and that, trying to evade the hungry jaws of some bigger fish. I saw large male crabs cradling little females (doublers), protecting them at molting time and securing mating rights. I saw plenty of jellyfish, birds dive-bombing for their dinner, and a crab swimming on the surface of waters that were forty feet deep.

My dad is just a natural teacher, so he pretty much talks you through whatever he’s doing. Crabbing technique, boating lessons, history, crab anatomy, bay ecology…there’s plenty to teach about, out there on the water. I learned some things, too. I learned that driving a boat is way different from driving a car. For one thing, when you turn a car off, it usually stops moving. I learned that eels are really slimy. And they can get out of that bucket if they really want to. I learned that dead jellyfish can still sting you, that lighthouses out in the middle of the bay don’t have indoor plumbing, and if your eyes tell you those waves look rough, then they are. Only more so.

Some things I already knew; I just needed reminding. Like what a joy it is to spend quality time with your family. Family and friendship are blessings that not every one of us has. It doesn’t do to take them for granted.

♥

I made a little video of my dad working his crab pots. Vegetarians, beware: the crabs in this video all got cooked!

♦

Items of Interest:

Weekends at The Rivah

River Vacation

Blue Crabs – Fish Facts

Jul 5

4 Comments

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and Aquarium Video

In May, I posted about a visit to the Baltimore Aquarium. Part of the fun of that trip was just being in Baltimore, and I have to say that the Inner Harbor made as much of an impression on me as the aquarium. We had parked several blocks away, and as we made our way to the aquarium, it felt like walking the sidewalks of any larger city. But when we reached the Inner Harbor, I was struck with a different feeling. And it was something closer to wonder.

To begin with, it was like stepping into a different world. We cut through some kind of mall to get to the harbor, and when we entered the building, we were leaving a city. The sky was hemmed in by tall buildings, everything was the dull color of grey cement, there was noise and traffic. But when we opened the doors to the other side, all was light and open and colorful. The sun was shining on our faces, we were met with an expanse of sky and water, and it was just…nice. It made me happy. The Inner Harbor is a tourist attraction, so there was a great deal of activity, a lot to look at. I think a big part of my happy reaction was based on that; it’s just exciting to be in a lively place when you’re already in the market to be pleased.

The next thing that caught my attention were the military ships docked in the harbor, and I was overwhelmed by a sense of the history they represent. There is a big military presence where I live, so much so that I don’t give it much thought anymore. Quantico Marine Base is just north of Fredericksburg, I pass by A. P. Hill (an Army fort) every day on my way to work, and it’s not at all unusual to encounter people in uniform. But seeing the ships here piqued my curiosity, and reminded me how rich in history my little area of the USA really is. I found out that The Inner Harbor houses four historic vessels (and a lighthouse) that were turned into museums, so you can tour all those ships. I’m thinking about going back to do that – but in cooler weather!

The U.S.S. Torsk! This submarine is docked just outside of the aquarium, and is nicknamed “Last Survivor of Pearl Harbor”. It served in the Navy for 24 years. I want to go in that sub!

If I get to tour the Torsk, I’ll let you know all about it! Whether you’re interested or not. In the meantime, here is a little video from our aquarium visit. Be warned that I am not a very good videographer! But if nothing else, at least you can enjoy the music by Enya.