Friday of Vacay

I wake up and on my list of things to do is: Coke Museum, Georgia Aquarium, the Botanical Gardens and meet up with Deutsch Boy and do a few things that he wanted to see.

The struggle to find a park and ride was muuuuch easier on Friday but I felt very stressed bc there were so many things to do and see and I knew time was of the essence. I met Valetin at the World of Coke Museum around 1 pm. I walked soooo far, instead of through the park, around it. He kept calling asking me if I was lost. It was only funny the first 10 times, lol.But I didn't actually go into the museum first that day. I met up w/ Valetin and we did something - I can't remember what? Maybe he let me get my ticket and then we headed over to the Westin Hotels 360 degree view. Oh, they had great art their as well. Lots of bold, bright colors that reminded me of my buddy Jody H. She would've loved any of it and I would've loved to get some for her except it was over $1K for each piece.

After the Westin, we decided to grab a bite to eat and although we had talked about going somewhere economical, while we were walking back down town, we ran into an awesome street concert and ended up eating a Doener. SOOOOooooo deliciouso. We ran into some fun artwork on the way back down to the Underground. Here are some photos - the coke sign, the State Seal (part 1 & 2), and then we head to the underground. Mom, the phone is a BLACKBERRY, not a RASPBERRY! lol...

Yummy for the tummy - They had every kind of fudge, they made it right there in the little store. We both bought something yummy there. It was awesome. The only way to accurately describe the Underground is an attempt at Seattle's Pike Place Market. Much, much smaller but quainter as all the carts matched and were positioned with enough space between them to really have a looksy.

By now it's only like 4 or 4:30 maybe. I still need to tell you about the Coke Museum and the Georgia Aquarium.

Gotta go for now though...hugs, Sharona

Atlanta Activities!~

More about Atlanta...

How fun was vacationing by myself. First, I have to tell you that I got down to Kami's house before she tells me that she's living with her boyfriend. I'm thinking, geesh, you could've given me some warning. I was tired and grumpy. I had lots I wanted to do and then I found out she didn't have the internet!!!?!?!?!??!?!?!? ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME? I live in a town of 1500 and I have high speed. She said that she'd been stealing it from her neighbors unsecured wireless network but either they secured it or her computer broke so there you have it. This totally put a cramp in my planning style though. I have never been so grateful for my blackberry with internet service.
I quickly did some research and found that I could take MARTA and buy a CityPass for just $69 that got me into like 9 tourist traps. Which is exactly what I wanted! Here are some of the cool places that I got to go...but wait!! First, i have to tell you about getting to the 1st location.

Wait, first I have to tell you how cool these little marta cards are. They are definitely a breeze...they contain a microchip and I saw people like just putting their back sides up the gates or their purses or whatever but it took me at least 8 tries to get it just right. I LOVE mass transit. I had so much fun talking to young black women on the platforms. Europe has awesome mass transit only they aren't friendly. Atlanta, everyone is VERY happy to talk. I bought a 4 day pass or something and that means unlimited rides which was a good thing bc getting to the CNN Tour took about 10 trips in and out of different/wrong terminals. The best thing was it was good for the subway and the bus system.

I get up, do a little more research on getting around and getting to different places. The one basic necessity I was missing was a detailed map of the City of Atlanta. In the meantime, I had addresses and stuff and a generic map as well as an Atlas. Ah, these are not as good as a city map, ever.

Driving into Atlanta without knowing exactly where the MARTA park and rides were was an adventure. Eventually I saw a sign and took an exit and then simply asked directions. Found a local mall with a marta stop across the street. It was a little further downtown than I would have liked but parking at a mall, always a good bet...right? LOL...as I was pulling in about 10 cop cars came squeeling into the parking lot. I didn't know if I should feel worried or extra safe?

I get downtown to the central marta station and I'm asking all sorts of people how to get to here or there or whevever and lesson #1: never ask a hometown person about a tourist trap - they don't know bc they've never been there.

About 4 hours after I left Kami's townhome I made it to the CNN Studios. Finally, I could get the CityPass and a map!!!

I enjoyed the tour a lot. It was fun to see Fredricka live and behind the scenes eating and primping, lol. All the guys got a hoot about that. It was a lot after all. The worst part of this tour was going up the 8 story escalator. It's a single width, free standing and after my episode on WED, at the Incline Railway, I was a little freaked. Ok, a lot freaked. Shaking, increased heart rate, scared to death feeling. I had no idea I was SOOO afraid of heights. This escalator was open on both sides so I could look up (again, steep and straight up), down (same as up) or over the sides to the ground!!! I seriously freaked. I got to the top and again, nice folks were asking me, are you ok? I was but I did need a minute to get it under control. I went back in the CNN area at least 3 times and forgot to take a photo...let me see if I can find one online. No photos. Anyway, very fun.

I also mention to the tour guide that hottie weather man Rob Marcciano at CNN is from PDX.

It's during the tour that I notice there is a German kid there (I recognized the accent), alone. I'm wondering why he's alone. After the tour, I needed some food. I noticed that this german kid was also eating. I simply walked over and asked if i could join him. I told him that I'd been an exchange student to Germany and a missionary and he said sure. We visited and then determined that we were both heading north on MARTA. He had been an exchange student the year before and his family invited him back and he said sure. He was going to spend 4-5 weeks back in the US. He was so great, willing to talk politics and reminded me yet again that main stream media and liberal elitists don't have a clue about how the average foreign kid feels about America. He told me that its still the German kids dream to come to, visit or even live in America. That's how it was 12 years ago when I was there. Keep the faith Americans, we are still the envy of the world. We enjoy the blessings of Freedom. Ok, enough politco, except i have sooo much to say about it.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon together, riding MARTA together and making possible plans for the next day. Here he is...not bad eye candy either:)

I hopped off MARTA to visit the High Art Museum of Georgia. They just happened to be open late on Wed. and it worked out great for my schedule.

I have to tell ya, after a very long, hectic and hot day, it sure was nice to go to this museum and be in air conditioning and look at art. I have recently enjoyed hitting some major museums including the Seattle Art Museum and the HIGH Museum. The High is currently in a deal (aka: Partnership) with the Louve and they had Houdon's work there. I absolutely loved his work. He did busts, check out this one of his daughter.

Finally I get home at like 9 PM. It was a long day but very nice to do what I wanted, eat when I wanted and just...be alive.

Ok, enough for now. More later, there is still Friday and Saturday of vacay.

~Sharon

Leaving Nashville...

And arriving in Chatanooga!!!

I hit the road after getting my HOT YELLOW (NEON-for sure) Cobalt. It was a very fun, sporty little rental that made me want to speed. I can't really do that since I recently have two tickets in OR and another one would, uh, not be good.

Anyway. I stop and eat at Macaronni Grill and it was so tasty. See, Amity has no restraunts and MAC, not that many more. I had my choice of fun, tasty restraunts on vacay. Anyway, my server was so sweet and friendly. This was my first contact with Southerners outside the "Opry Bubble".

I was so excited to be on vacation and to be in the South. The drive was just dang beautiful. The first thing you notice is that it's GREEN~!

Check out these pics of the lake. I wish I could remember what it's called, but it's HUGE!!! I could probably look it up but what sort of fun would that be? lol...Nickajack Lake. Looks like it might be a resevoir or tributary of Tennessee River.

How beautiful is this view and the lake? It was so gorgeous and I saw only one small boat with a family fishing at any/all view points. I did a little bit of snooping and buying a rental cabin out there probably is only $100K. Probably less even. This is maybe an hour south of Nashville.

Not far from the lake signs began popping up all over the place about RUBY FALLS. I began thinking that these Ruby Falls had better be something special because these were HUGE red billboard signs, and there were a lot of them.

I got into town with lots of time before needing to be in Atlanta. Kami had to work until 7 and wouldn't be home until 8 anyway. So, I stopped and got my hair cut. Then I thought I'll just get my eyebrows done and then some one suggested that I'd look cute with highlights in my hair. They suggested that WalMart was the only place I could get it all done. I headed over there and there was this black gal doing her own hair and flirting with a guy. I was like, oh boy. But she acknowledged me right away and was so sweet. We spent the next like hour and a half laughing and I got to know something about the South. Something hilarious happened - as soon as I told her I wanted to get highlights about 5 other people walked in. She cut one little boy's hair as school started the next day for him and the rest she got rid of. I thought she was just so hilarious and I tipped her a ton. Plus, she didn't charge me for the brows...a little perk at least.
While there, I asked about these famed Ruby Falls and such. After getting the scoop, I headed out to Lookout Mountain. I had heard that you could either drive up or ride up to the top. If I chose to ride, I take the Incine railway. Check these out. Ah, the stories I could tell you.

Pic #1

This is the car at the top and simply does not do justice to my psyche at this point or the steepness of the rail.

Pic #2

From inside the railcar on our way down. I am not angling my camera in any way.

Pic #3

Taken by an employee and I am literally just standing there, and they are standing straight up. It's at like 77 degree angle.

The truth of the matter is that I was all excited to get up there and take this cool ride but I didn't look up the Mt. to see what sort of ride it would be. Just after embarking, we weren't going very fast but it started to get steep. I couldn't face forward because I was getting spooked about the drop. I couldn't turn around because now the view was tremendous and steep!! I get a little (ok, a lot) scared and I begin to get very nervous. Other riders start asking me if I'm going to be ok. Then, we get to the top and they park the thing at 77 degrees! I'm like, pull into the garage or something for goodness sakes. You can't leave me hanging up here in the air at this angle. Kami and I were talking on the phone at that point and she was like "Is everything alright?" You don't sound too good and of course I had to tell her I was a big, fat, chicken butt!!! I didn't want to get off but they said everyone had to disembark. Once I did, I was able to take pic #1. 2 & 3 were taken on the way down.

This is probably enough for tonight. More tomorrow, or whenever I get around to it.

I had insomnia so badly last night that I only slept for 1 hr and wasn't able to go to church. During the day I probably slept only about 3 hrs. I don't know what is wrong with me! The dang stress?

Hugs, Sharon

Facebook | Sharon Nihipali-Larson

Facebook | Sharon Nihipali-Larson

Seriously folks, this is where it's at - a WOMAN VP for the GOP and a woman who has an awesome family, a NRA toting gal who shoots all the time and DESPISES corruption! Gosh, I am so happy about this choice. No offense Romney, but you cannot pull the necessary Evangelical vote and this gal hits it right where it counts. McCain can share his foregin policy experience. She has cut spending, ear marks, sold the State jet and drives her jetta around the state.

GO GOP ~

NLTC - Nashville!~

I have to go wayyyyyy back, all the way to the beginning of the month.

"Once upon a time..." I traveled to Nashville, TN on a red-eye. The trip was uneventful except it was freakin' hot and I had to squeeze into a plane seat. For all of my skinny friends, this was definitely a turning point for me.

Thank goodness other BSA employees are kind and friendly. I met up with a girl at the Nashville Airport and we traveled to the hotel and through check in together (about an hour). Unfortunately, our rooms were across the hotel from each other so we parted and wished each other good luck. I hauled my junk up to the room and my roommie was already there. Her name is Hilary Black-Ward and she is from the Mt. Baker Council (Everett, WA to the Canadian border). I had called her before we left and talked to her. She seemed nice enough - she has British roots and has a cool accent. She was fabulous to me and very, very fun to talk with and go around together with.



All I wanted to do when I first got there was shower and sleep because I'd been up for like 48 hrs. First, I had to go get my shirt, my passport (more on this later) and eat something. Oh yeah, I hadn't eaten breakfast, lunch of dinner because my connecting flight gave me only minutes to run through the Houston airport!! I was famished and dehydrated.

It's so odd because if you all knew that I get anxiety in large groups, you could understand my fear at this event. 4-5000 folks, all crammed into a rather large room, but they were very strict on opening the doors and the crowd (this would've made a great picture) would spill down all the staircases and the escalators and the adjoining hall ways. It was wicked crowded and hot and way overwhelming.

To the conference itself - Bob Mazzuca makes a great visionary and I learned something about the national office that I had never known before. He told the national staff that things were going to change and that they needed to get on board of leave and many left (40 to be exact). How crazy is that? He is serious about change and catching up with technology so that families and boys can learn about scouting. I appreciated that a lot.

Plus, they used some serious technology to share the message. A little circus like and maybe a bit over the top, but very fun. Probably the most FUN I've had was one night they set us at tables alphabetically so there were like 12 tables of Johns and I was at a table with Shane and Shannon's. Pretty hilarious and a great way to get to know folks.

Josh Turner, same night, as the table seating by name, performed for us!!! I couldn't believe it. For those of you who don't really know who he is, he is a HUGE country fan and most of his songs are country-christian. His wife is the keyboardist and the band was so nice. They were performing for like 3000 peeps. It was so personal and FUN! I was only a few feet from him.



Later blogs...Chatanooga, Atlanta, home, golf tourney, Sabrina

My grandma Nihipali and Aunties

Meet the Grandma and Great Aunty and My Auties...at least the ones that live in HI!

My grandma is the shorty on the left. Then my Aunty Kathy, Ruth Ann, then Emily - wait, it could be Emily and then Ruth Ann. Darn them for looking so similar. When I see them in person, I can tell them apart, boo hoo!

Below is Great Auntie Dot and her daughter, we call her Nani.



Doesn't that looks so nice and relaxing. Everyone has such a huge smile - but that's my family for ya.

Love 'em all to death...

Day long beg...

I left this AM with a few appts where I knew I was going to ask for sponsorships for the golf tourney but we went to a lot of places and begged from a lot of people. We think we'll get a full course but true sponsorships, we don't know.

It was really fun to hang out with jody for the entire day. She is so sweet and good to me.

Hugs, Sharon