I can probably die now.

So my chief dream has been fulfilled. I went to Bear World.

It was the best thing. Seriously. I love bears. I think AJ was a little frightened with how much I love bears. Which is understandable. Or at least it would be if you had been there with me.

Imagine me jumping up and down in my seat, pointing, and screaming "Bear! It's a bear! I love him!" (Um, duh, not surprising, this is Bear World) every time we saw a bear.

Which was a lot. Again, not surprising considering the place is called "Bear World."

Anyway. Bears are hilarious. Especially bears that sit like people.




Also, bear jokes never get old. For example: I can bear-ly see that bear. That bear cub is bear-y cute. And so on.

(Baby Seal becomes Baby Bear, the hilarity never ends.)

On that note it was bear-y hot. Sweltering really. No air conditioning and the windows were supposed to stay up. "Supposed to" being the key phrase. Every time the park rangers were out of sight AJ would frantically say "Crack your window, crack your window!" Still hot. The bears were totally worth it though.

Oh, and I fawned over a fawn. And AJ is afraid of chickens...bahaha.

It was so great. I almost couldn't bear to leave.

Eveything's gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better.

Today was, quite simply, awesome. And, I mean, it's not even six yet. Let's discuss the reasons:

1) I got my Barnes and Noble package today. That alone guarantees an excellent day.

2) I ate pretty much half a loaf of jalapeno cheddar bread. With cream cheese. It was delicious. I do not regret it in the slightest.

3) A Down East miracle. Just for me. There's this shirt I really love at Down East. Except for the part where it is this awful yellow-green-puke color. That I cannot abide. So today while I am hard at work organizing clearance I come upon the shirt in a soft dusky grey. Just one. In my size. Apparently it very randomly arrived in our shipment yesterday. So of course I bought it. (Along with a new super cute purse. Which I actually needed because my old one was falling apart.)

4) I got a postcard and a letter in the mail today. And both were a complete surprise.

5) I didn't shower today and yet my hair still looks fairly decent.

6) This is my 100th blog posting.

So in order to reward you, my loyal readers (all three of you), and to spread the love, happiness, and good days around I have decided to have a give-away. All you have to do is comment. Tell me something that made you happy today. A week from today I will have a drawing containing the names of everyone who commented. The winner will receive a small surprise package from me.

I love you.

New York, New York.

New York was a riotous good time. To illustrate the the fact I provide you with some "snapshots" for your viewing pleasure. Please proceed.

Traci, my most beloved travel companion. Or anything that requires companions, at that.

(this was the first picture on my camera and she refused to look at me. For pictures actually displaying her face please continue.)

The airport dance. Created and danced by Jenna.

Our hotel, The Hotel Pennsylvania, was extremely classy. Upon our arrival we were greeted by this. As it turns out our bathroom was actually a (haunted) swamp. We still are unsure as to where the water was coming from.

Marissa. Sometimes I like to call her Mar-Mar. Much to her displeasure.

I tried to take a picture of these kilt-wearing-fiends on the sly but was, unfortunately, caught.

Dinner.

Mar-Mar just looks just thrilled to be at Columbia for journalism conference. I just love these candid shots.

Traci, in the pink, it would seem.

Jenna relates, no doubt, the story of Croft forgetting to get off the subway.

Mar-Mar and Traci with an unknown statue.

Kitty-cat sighting on the way to Chinatown.

Most excellent wall art in Chinatown.

Taxi.

Taking a picture, taking a picture.

Croft, looking pleased, as per usual.

Mar-Mar and her cappuccino, note my use of the rule of thirds.

Apparently smoking is the "in" thing in New York, at any rate I have never seen so many people smoking in my entire life.

We were plagued constantly with wet towels from our haunted, bathroom swamp.

Jenna walking through the Columbia dining area. They actually fed us at Columbia. This was very odd for the fact that we practically starved at the last journalism conference.

Another random Columbia statue.

An interesting bike, Jenna astride it, undoubtedly belonging to a Columbia attendee.

Les filles on the steps of the of the lower library.

The guys standing behind us were all "Work it girls." Anyway, this is a favorite for reasons that are obvious.

Pigeons!

Croft and Jenna. Evidently not talking about the subway incident because Croft is smiling.

Me, in the Columbia subway station.

Chad and his phantom "cousin".

The subway. Such fun, such fun. Unfortunately the boy in the zebra stripes suspenders was not there to entertain us during this particular ride. However, the air guitar playing man filled in quite nicely.

A slightly stunned looking Shanda wearing a hat that makes me green with envy.

The ferry. Nearly as much fun as "the bus".

More on the ferry.

Me, under a bridge in central park, wearing my signature facial expression.

Chad just really liked these sunglasses. Anything to distract himself from "the bus".

The backs of Shanda and Jenna on the ill-fated bus.

Mollie and Jenna upon discovering that our shuttle to the airport was not functioning correctly.

My deformed straw.

The motion censored umbrellas.

So all in all the trip was great fun.

The end.

P.S. Traci and I did it again.

The 22nd good thing about Melissa.

Today is my sister Melissa's birthday. She is twenty-two. Which is pretty great, so I have created a list of facts and randomness in celebration.

1) She loves all things 80's.

2) She is a wicked badmitton player.

3) When I asked her to bring me dirt back from Europe, she did.

4) She can read extremely quickly, it's intense, really. She also reads everything, the classics, science fiction, children's books, everything. So when she recommends something it is bound to be good.

5) Whenever she comes home for the weekend she brings new, fantastic music and says something like "I have a song that you are going to love." And I do. Love them, that is.

6) When we were younger we would play Snow White and Belle. Obviously she was Snow White because of her raven locks.

7) She likes to call herself Melissa the Beautiful, which is fitting, really.

8) She has many nicknames, amongst which are Loupe and Swift Puma.

9) She loves the Olympics, in fact during the Olympics she created an Olympic wall for pictures of great Olympic moments.

10) She loves Zac Efron.

11) Despite the fact that she is not actually getting married yet she lets me make plans for her wedding. These plans involve scooters, candles on the cake, and quite possibly a pool.

12) She has the uncanny ability to hear a song once and know it, lyrics and all, forever. This makes her the "name this song" reigning champion.

13) She loves dancing and makes up the most amazing moves.

14) She loves stamps, you know, like for letters.

15) She has detachable limbs, it is like a super-power. It is also a joke, just in case you thought she had a wooden leg or something.

16) She gets people to do crazy/fun things. Like the time she got the little kids to run all the way down the street screaming because she saw a "bee".

17) She writes in her journal. Like, she starts a journal and actually finishes it.

18) She is so beautiful, smart, and fun that boys are afraid of her, as if maybe they are not good enough for her, which is more than likely true. Boys not being good enough for her, I mean.

19) She take lots of pictures, sometimes of herself, sometimes of our family, and sometimes of cupcakes.

20) She loves going to the movies.

21) When she is home we share a room and she lets me keep her up to a most sinful hour telling her pointless stories.

22) She is my sister. She is my best friend.

Happy Birthday, Loupe! I love you!

P.S. Maybe someday you will help the garden grow... just kidding.

Emily says hello...

right back to the earth.