This weekend we had more houseguests, and we had some fun splashing in the pool! Little Logann definitely enjoyed her first swimming experience at Aunt Joy’s house. She even got the Beer Snob in the spirit of “splash, splash, splashing”. Here are some pictures from their swimming adventures…
Allow me to catch you up on the last couple of weeks…
Not much has been going on up here in Lower Alabama, other than a smattering of babysitting jobs keeping me busy. Between year-long days of coloring with my love, Elz and going “side” to play with Hannah and Ella, my days have been filled with R&R and fat pay checks.
But the last two weeks could not be accounted for without mentioning my wonderful visit last weekend from two of the BFFs. Katie and Rachel made the trip last Friday to spend the weekend eating messy ice cream cones, finding our soul mates, waiting for the rain to pass so we could throw ourselves off the jet ski some more and playing a mountain of board games. I was sad to see them go, but it won’t be too long now until we are reunited once more.
Last week was filled with making plans for Rachel and my new apartment! After much deliberation, we finally got it all worked out…Let’s get real, Cuz and I are gonna have some fun!
Finally, the Bunning casa got some more visitors this weekend as my grandparents and cousins trekked in from Georgia. The only downside to this is I have to look at UGA t-shirts walking around the house…We spent today jet skiing, tubing and wakeboarding. Yes, that’s right, I FINALLY did it!! Now I can’t wait to get back out on the water.
We set out the other night to try and photograph some lightning, but even though we were unsuccessful, we still managed to have an interesting time. On out way back to the island we hit some standstill traffic. It turns out a huge oak tree had fallen and was blocking both lanes of the street. So of course, I got out of the car, camera in tow, and in the rain I marched up to the scene and got some shots (granted they didn’t really turn out since I was tri-pod-less).
Yesterday we hit up
Most of us know which category we fit into, whether or not we care to admit it. Some of us are just afraid of the unknown, or what we might miss out on if we take a different path. And some of us live every moment waiting for something new and different to come around, hoping for an opportunity to land on our doorstep and sweep us away.
Well, up until recently you could pretty much throw me in the “hiding in the bathroom” category. Opportunities would come around and I would think of every excuse in the book not to take them. And after the fact I always regretted my decision to let them slip through my fingers, but I never seemed to learn from my mistakes.
Recently an opportunity fell in my lap, and yet again I hesitated (my mom calls it the “oldest-child syndrome”). I was given the chance to spend a week in Kiawah Island, South Carolina with my Cuz, and, despite everything normal for a 19-year-old college student, something in the back of my mind made me think twice.
I had nothing holding me back really. I could easily cover my babysitting jobs for the week. But for some reason I still hesitated.
So I had a nice long chat with my mom, and this is the conclusion we came to:
Life is like a puzzle. You get a lot of pieces, and it’s up to you to put them in the right places. We spend a lot of time looking for certain pieces, but life is too short to waste time waiting. The best way to find the pieces you are looking for is just to get to work and do what you can.
In other words, when Mr. Opportunity knocks, go open the door and invite him in for some cookies. He may not be everything you were expecting, but he may lead you to something greater.
So here I am, lying in a bed next to Cuz in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
He knocked, I answered, and I plan on having a good ‘ole time getting to know the fellow.
After a weekend in Gainesville, I need a quiet week in Navarre to recover. It was no doubt an eventful weekend full of lemon drops, Disney Scene It, and a serious lack of sleep.
It all started out when I arrived Friday night and was reunited with some of my loves. After a typical “getting-ready” sesh, we picked up some of our favorite gentlemen and headed to Gator City. There I had the pleasure of seeing even more of my bests, and the unfortunate experience of learning that you never say no to a Blue Hat.
Saturday morning, the Nudist proved that tequila really does make your clothes fall off.
We had what can only be deemed as the laziest Saturday ever, as Katie, Bailey and I sat on the couch for at least 10 hours watching MTV, doing crossword puzzles, and eating muffins.
Then it was off to El Norteno for some Margs and Mexican. Once the lightening started to settle in, we decided to stay in for the night and bring the party to us. A Scene It tourney, several pitchers of Margs, and shattered glass made for a seriously eventful evening.
Sunday was a day to “get back to our roots” as CD would say. After church and some Sonny’s, I headed to Cuz’s for an evening of Club Amph, The Office, VooDoo, and McD’s. We definitely took covered all the bases, and she even helped me rip off a few band-aids.
All in all it was a pretty fabulous weekend. Sometimes you just need a weekend with your girls to get back on the right page.
How do you say goodbye to someone who has been a part of your life for as long as you can remember?
I can’t remember a day before Kallie.
But I do remember the day I met her. I remember, at 5-years-old, walking into my bedroom after a vacation at my grandparent’s house. I remember seeing her jump off my bed, the same bed I have today, and run up to me, tail wagging. It never stopped wagging.
From that day on she became my sister. The sister I never had
I remember so much about her. I remember the way, in her younger years, she would bark when we got ice from the refrigerator door. How she would chase the vacuum and bark at it like it was an intruder threatening the ones she loved.
I remember the way she always got her claws stuck in her hair when she would scratch, and my parents and I would always debate over whose turn it was to untangle her.
I remember the way my dad made up songs about her while he and I sat in the kitchen eating breakfast.
I remember how when we cleaned up dinner, she would always stick her head in the trashcan looking for scraps.
How she never barked or growled at me all those times I tortured her. How she never barked or growled at anyone. Ever. No matter what.
I remember her sideways walk. The way she sauntered up the driveway when you called her to come inside. And the way she ignored me when she didn’t want to come in, moving further down the street.
I remember how on every single road trip we ever went on she would beg me for McDonald’s French fries, and how it was always my mom who would give them to her.
I remember how, in the end, she could barely get up once she lay down. How she never really got used to the wood floors and would scratch her way to an upright position.
How she followed my mom everywhere she went. How she walked in circles while we watched our favorite TV shows and we all begged her to be still. I’m going to miss the clicking of her walk now. I wish I could get it back.
I remember how she used to stand in the window watching us as we pulled out of the driveway, and how she was always happy to see us when we got home.
I remember so much more about my sister. I will always remember the girl who grew up beside me. Who always remembered me, even when I went off to school. I could go on forever about her playfulness, kindness, and care.
Kallie will always be remembered in my family as a member of our family. When you’re around for 14 years that’s what you are. A pet, a friend, a sister. Loyal until the very end, just like a best friend should be.
So, Kallie, I love you. I’ll miss you. I hope you are enjoying your first day in heaven, alongside Maggie. It’s about time she got to meet you. Make sure she gives you as many treats as McKenzie and as much cheese as Ma. Enjoy the clouds under your feet and the rainless skies. Run and play and keep an eye out for me, because when I get there I want a kiss from the sister I always wanted, never had, and found in you.
For some reason, airplanes always make me nostalgic. I don’t know what it is, but looking out the window and seeing land and water pass beneath me, symbols of where I’ve been and where I’ve yet to go, puts things in perspective for me.
Recently I have taken up the habit of writing down the thoughts that bounce around in my head, and it really strikes me as interesting the random, yet consequential, things I think up.
So on my flight home from Berlin on Thursday, I found myself trying to categorize my experiences, and somehow make myself a better person as a result of them. This is what I came up with:
For the days leading up to my trip, I looked forward to it. I anticipated the flight, the people I would meet, the things I would learn, and the pictures I would take. I really just looked forward to the change of setting, one that was much needed and a long time coming. And before I knew it it was over. As I flew home, I began to look ahead to my next trips on schedule, one to Gainesville, Kentucky, New York, and eventually back to school. And it hit me: I do not know how to live my life without something to look forward to.
I understand that we all need something to get us through the day, but what is wrong with the simple anticipation of life? Just waking up in the morning. Having a cup of coffee. Doing what you love. Being with people who care about you. Being alive. I am not trying to say that I am no longer going to live my life by the weekends I get to do something out of the ordinary, because to say that would be hypocritical. I know now and in the future, I am always going to count down the days until something exciting happens in my life.
But this is my task for myself: To no longer live my life constantly looking at the clock, praying for the moments to pass more quickly, so that I can go somewhere or do something exciting that is only going to go by faster than it takes me to cherish the moment. But instead to teach myself to cherish every moment, even the everyday things, like eating dinner with my family or listening to a great song on the radio. Because life goes by fast enough, without an eternal countdown wishing and waiting for it to go by faster.
My mom and me before a Girl's Night Out.Photo by Bill Bunning
What a day.
We’ve all heard the saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Today I discovered how much truth there is in it.
Megan, Amy, and I set out to find beer and a post office so we could mail our dear old dads some authentic German beer. And it turned out to be an all day adventure.
As it turns out, German post offices won’t mail alcohol to the states. So, we decide it would be a good idea to find a trusty UPS. As we are walking to the grocery store to buy some green syrup for the Beer Snob, we day dream of how lucky it would be to stumble across a UPS truck, since we have no idea where the closest store is located. Just as we are arriving at the grocery store, Amy points out a large brown truck down the street, and we all sprint (cameras in tow). Once we meet the UPS guy (who doesn’t speak English very well), take pictures of his truck, and get the address, we set off to finish our purchases.
Upon discovering the UPS store (after a hella long walk), we discover that UPS also will not mail our beer home to Papa. We come up with a plan. So, we sit outside on the street corner and wrap up our 6-packs in copious amounts of bubble wrap, and formulate our flawless story. What’s that we’re mailing…? Not beer, but beer stines. Lots of beer stines. Perfect plan, right?
Well, it was perfect, until we discovered that it was going to cost over 150 euros to mail the “beer stines” home. Hah!
On to Plan B: Smuggle the stuff and pray it works in our favor. But smuggling or not, none of us have enough room in our luggage to fit 6 beers. So, my plan is to take the syrup and drink the beer. Here’s to Plan B…PROST!!
Some of our group members decided to show us a favorite spot from their pub-crawl on Sunday night. Since the German street names are too hard for us to pronounce, let alone remember, we just memorized the directions by the first letter of the street's name: I to the K to the D to the E. The name is Dr. Pong and the game is what I am assuming can only be the German equivalent of beer pong. Get ready UF; we’re bringing it back.
The game goes something like this: In the bar there is one ping-pong table, and everyone that wants to play gets a paddle and circles the table. Then it starts. Everyone walks around the table and takes turns hitting the ball. If you miss, then you’re out (I was out early and often). You play until there are only two people left in the game, and then they play a real game of ping-pong. It is quite the German establishment. We even got Professor Freeman to go with us, and he shocked us all with his mad ping-pong skills (he made it to the finals 3 times).
Today was another day of sightseeing and meeting with interesting people. Some of the girls (and Harrison) made another trip to KaDeWe to eat some delicious desserts on the top floor. We got a variety of different treats and passed them all around the table.
We also went to Mercedes World and the Old Museum where there is an Egyptian exhibit set up. Nefertiti anyone?
Monday was another day on the town with our very own tour guide, Professor Freeman. We walked around in the shopping district, visited KaDeWe (where I picked out my future Vera Wang wedding gown, hah) and eventually made our way to the Allied Museum in Professor Freeman’s old neighborhood. He showed us where he used to pop popcorn (the museum was once a movie theatre) and sneak some out to his friends. Then, once we were released for the day, I was dragged to a museum whose name made Freeman blush. He wouldn’t tell us what it meant and neither would the Germans we stopped to ask directions, but one step inside and there were no questions what it meant. But, hey, they say “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”, and I guess you could say we at least needed a glimpse of the Berliner’s promiscuous culture while we were here, and believe me…that glimpse was an eye full!
My food experience for the day was also one for the books. I tried currywurst for lunch and I will never travel that road again. I can’t even walk past it anymore without getting a sick feeling (in fact just writing this now is making me sick). Then for dinner, I was talked into trying Indian food, which wasn’t all that bad, but definitely not what I needed. So I retreated to the bar in the hotel for two-for-one Monday (and reliable McDonald’s for the next couple of days) and enjoyed a delish Berliner Pils and another Kindl Weiss. Then we played some pool, and surprisingly, I didn’t suck. Thanks to Andrew for taking a chance on me and letting me be his teammate.
Yesterday was a free day and Jennifer and I went to find our subjects for our photo stories. I went to Esmod School of Design and met with David Ubl, a third-year student. Stepping into the school was amazing. I felt like I was in the company of dresses that would one day walk down the red carpet. David was so nice to us and took us back to his flat for mango ice cream, orange juice (which we have been deprived of since coming here) and homemade strawberry tarts.
Last night we went to see a musical, whose name is too German for me to recall, where I saw my first attractive European man (it seems they are as few and far between here as they are in the States, hah). Then it was off to Tacheles, an art exhibit with what, oddly enough, I would never consider art. I decided enough was enough when I discovered the creepy man with dreads staring at me was smoking something questionable.
So after a much-needed night of peaceful sleep (or as peaceful as possible when the suns comes up a 4:30 a.m.), Jen and I trekked to a fashion photo shoot with Stefan Kraul (her subject for the photo stories and, conveniently enough, David’s roommate). We definitely enjoyed blending into to the background and shooting some photos like professionals.
Tonight is our mid-trip dinner, and I can’t believe I only have one more week here. There is still so much to see and photograph. But, hey, with my project well underway, I may just see it all…maybe even some things better left unseen.
Another day of touring is done, and I am going to be in desperate need of an intensive massage when I get home. I think I finally know my way around the city. My group and I navigated the public transportation on our own today, and, surprisingly, we made it home in one piece.
We had the opportunity to meet a couple of young women from the city today, and through their openness, I gained a new perspective on the city. They told us about how they often feel guilty for the horrors of the Holocaust, and how difficult it can be to accept that they cannot change the past. One of the girls, who is only 15, said something that I think we can all learn from. She said that although what happened in the past is not her responsibility, she is responsible for the future. I thought that showed a lot of wisdom for such a young girl.
After our long chat and some Dunkin’ Doughnuts coffee, I photographed some more PDAers. I swear, these Berliners just can’t get enough of each other…
I am a loaded weapon. I nearly killed at least four people today, and somehow I think death by biker would be a disturbing way to go.
I haven’t been on a bike in what seems like a decade, and, unfortunately, the old saying ‘it’s like riding a bike” only kicks in after you’ve been back on it for a bit. So let’s just say the first hour or so of my 5-hour bike tour today (Fat Tire Bike Tours) was a dangerous one.
Every inch of my body is now exhausted from biking 20 kilometers through the city, dodging Berliners at every turn, photographing those who don’t seem to care much about PDA, hiking down slippery streets in a poncho, and getting flipped off by homeless people who don’t want their pictures taken.
I even got to experience a carnival in a foreign country although I couldn’t be talked into riding anything (it was all so expensive and I can’t say that I totally trusted that it was built to my satisfaction). But after a few too many pictures of the Tilt-A-Whirl, the bottom dropped out of the sky and we all were in a frenzy trying to protect our precious cameras. Since I was equipped with both a poncho and an umbrella, I sacrificed the umbrella to one of my fellow group members so he could save his camera from drowning in the torrential downpour.
Now, after a filling dinner down the street of sushi, I am lounging in what my roommates and I have deemed our “lofty apartment” and trying to muster enough energy to get up and shower away the day. Tomorrow is a walking tour, so even if my muscles recover tonight, it is more than likely that I will be in the same situation tomorrow night. Cross your fingers for me won’t you…?
Ok, so day one in Berlin is coming to an end, and it has certainly been an eventful one. My flight came in this morning at around 10 (to my extreme bliss my bags arrived with me), and some of my group members and I made our way to the hotel to check in. After showering and a refreshing meal of a Doner Kebap, our group had a meeting with a Berlin correspondent for the Wall Street Journal. Then it was off to sightsee. 
We went to Bernauer Park, the only part of the remaining wall that still had both the East and West sides in tact, and explored some of the areas surrounding it, including Roggenfeld im Mauerstreifen, the church that was destroyed when the wall was built.
Finally, we made our way towards Praten Biergarten for some grub. I chose another traditional German food (in the spirit of dear old Dad), a bratwurst. I also paired it with another recommendation from the Beer Snob himself, Berliner Kindl Weiss (although I spiced, or should I say sweetened, it up a little and added a recommended green flavoring of some kind). It tasted delicious!
After nearly getting lost on our way back to the hotel, the majority of the group is about to pass out from our extreme jet lag. It was really all I could do to get this post up and share some pictures with you all. I hope everything is wonderful back in the States. Until next time…
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