Friday, July 29, 2011

Friday, Friday, Friday...

Hello People!

It's Friday and I have definitely been working for the weekend this week. Whew!  As the summer is winding down (sigh), work is picking up as preparations for students and faculty to come back are now under way.  And, unlike Mike who got to spend the last 6 weeks lounging, clamming, tanning, boating, and beer drinking, I've been working my tail off to get it all right for the upcoming semester.

But, back to more important things like, it's FRIDAY!  Had a great swim practice last night.  Unfortunately, I swam alone due to some scheduling conflicts, but it was nice to get in the water and push myself as I am finalizing my preparation for next weekend's swim across the sound. Whoa!  I week away!!!  If you haven't donated yet, and you want to, here's the link  https://give.stvincents.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=564&tab=0&frsid=1187

And now for a little fill in the blank compliments of another blog I'm following and, as always, my friend Amanda. Amanda- you'll always get a plug for turning me on to this fun Friday activity.



1.   My favorite color is       ORANGE- I always gravitate to shades of orange from creamcicle to pumpkin and everything in between. It's my signature, really.

2.  My travel destination of choice is    Rhode Island- I'm heading there in a few short hours to see some friends run a 10 mile race and spend the weekend enjoying their ocmpany.

3.  My favorite  food is     seafood- all kinds. I had a wonderful fix while in FL but I'm missing my grouper, conch fritters, scallops.

4.  My happy place is   outside in the sunshine.

5.  My favorite saying is      Well, this could be up for debate. I tend to say "Treat Yourself" alot, as well as "It is what it is" or so I'm told. I actually have a lot of sayings and catch phrases... friends, care to chime in on some more of them?

6.  My dirty little secret is      sometimes I drink milk right from the jug in the mornings. Instead of wasting a glass, I just wash my vitamins down with a swig straight from the fridge. I would never serve this same milk to guests, but it's true, I do it.

7.  Something friends might say about me is that I      am very loud and talk alot. I'm ok with that. Clearly, I have a lot to say.
So that's it, friends.  Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the coming of August. 

Yours in road trip preparation,
Whitney


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Treat Yourself Tuesday... I mean Wednesday.

Hey Y'all,

I wanted so much to share the Florida trip pics yesterday that I postponed Treat Yourself Tuesday to Wednesday.  So today is Treat Yourself Tuesday Wednesday.  And what better way to treat yourself than with some tasty Fro Yo from FroYo World in New Haven (or wherever you are reading from).  I like to think that I actually coined the phrase 'FroYo' many years ago and it's now spreading like wild fire!  Some people may recall that I've been using this term for quite some time.  Just saying.

If you're like my sweet friend April, you might choose Red Mango of Pinkberry out in CA.  If you're in DC on vacation or work, like my friends Amanda and Caroline were with me, you might choose one of the many, many new FroYo joints.  No matter where you decide to go, the bottom line is that this stuff is de-lish!

If you live under a rock or in some far away place that doesn't allow you to enjoy the finer things in life, such as tasty, freezy, treats, well then, I'm sorry.  But if you're reading this, I'm guessing you've come out from the rock and you're in need of a summer cool down treat that is as healthy as it is refreshing.  Ok, that's a slight stretch, but seriously.  This stuff isn't bad for you like ice cream.  It's tart yogurt with fruits and mochi and fun toppings. 

I recently went on a field trip with some fellow CrossFit New Haven friends for some lunchtime FroYo on the hottest day of the year.  Boy did we deserve this!

the yogurt selection station

oh the tasty toppings


Coach Frank and Taylor

the cup-o-goodness


So like they say at FroYo World, indulge yourself.  Or like I say, Treat Yourself.  You know you want to.  You won't be sorry.  In fact, you'll probably thank me (by posting a nice comment on my bloggy blog).  Enjoy it!

Yours in frozen goodness,

Whitney

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

The Sunshine State-of-mind

As you know by now, Mike and I returned late last week from my beloved Florida.  We had a wonderful week of adventure and sightseeing.  The time spent with my family was definitely my favorite part, but it was also great to show Mike around Florida and to see his expression and reaction to a place so different than his sweet Connecticut. 

I've debated about the best way to deliver this recap and have decided that the pictures really tell the story so I'll keep the written details brief and load you up with photos. 

To start, we left out of Hartford on a Delta flight (reminder, avoid Delta in the future).  The flight was 100% filled and unfortunately there was not enough room for people's luggage or their bodies in the very small plane.  I was awarded the coveted middle seat with a very large man on my left who did not have enough room to put the arm rest down.  We were literally smooshed together, so much so, that when I got off the plane I had imprints of the contents of his pocket impressed into the skin in my thigh. If you know me, you know I'm not big on contact by strangers... I don't want your bed bugs, your head lice, or anything else living on your person. Bleh! 
Alas, we finally made it to Tampa and headed straight to dinner with my Dad and Zsuzsa (step-mom).  Frenchy's Rockaway!!!  My single most favorite seafood restaurant in Florida.  This place has the best grouper sandwich and conch fritters in the state.. and possibly anywhere. Hands down. the best.  They also have ice cold Yuengling, which I miss so dearly in CT.  After dinner, a nice sunset walk on Clearwater beach... it's ok, you can be jealous. I would be too.
sunset


Clearwater beach




We met my brother, Evan, and wonderful S.I.L., Alexis, at a sweet little place called Palm Harbor House of Beer. The selection was extensive and Tara, the bartender, baked the customers chocolate stout cupcakes... just because. This was our kind of place.


beer menu boards

cheers!

Mike eating the cupcake
Afterward we were heading home to see my Momma.  Now a little backhistory- Mike jokes everytime he watches 'Swamp People' on TV that it must be like Palm Harbor... rednecks and gators everywhere and people getting around by air boat instead of cars.  I'm not sure if part of him actually thought he might see this. It's been a running joke for a while.  So, upon our arrival to my mom's house, we literally met with a gator face to face at the front door:

The following day, we took Mike to Ybor city for some cigar shopping, sangria drinking, and history seeking.  We also introduced him to JJ Gandy's... the best key lime pie you will ever have.  http://jjgandys.com/home  Note to non-Floridians: if you're eating Key Lime pie and it's green... stop eating it. It's not real K.L.P.  The real deal should be yellow, tart, and have just a bit of real whip cream on the edges.  Avoid knockoffs at all cost!

Next stop- South Beach!  I'll try to keep this brief and let the pics do the talking.

We stopped in Little Havana on our way to the beach. Great lunch at El Cristo Restaurant, a visit to the old men playing dominos in a local park, a cafe cubano for a pep in our step, and a stop at the Bay of Pigs monument.






Finally, South Beach!  Mike's long awaited dream.  He said Miami was the last major city in the US that he hadn't seen. Bienvenidos, Miguel!  Our hotel had reserved umbrellas and chairs on the beach so we dropped our bags and hit the sand and sea.
Circa 39- our hotel


Drinks at The Raleigh

Drinks at Lowes




 



And that wraps up the beginning of the Florida adventure.  We beached. We ate. We drank. We walked until our feet were covered in blisters (ouch!).  Tomorrow I'll write more about the Art Deco area, which Mike loved.  If you haven't been to Florida recently, you're missing out. 

Yours in sunshine memories,

Whitney

Friday, July 22, 2011

Another Friday in the Summertime

Good Morning Blogosphere!!!  I'm once again borrowing from the Fill in the Blank Friday from my friend Amanda and http://thelittlethingswedo.blogspot.com/ who kicked it all off.

I'm hoping to download the pics from the Florida vacay this weekend and be ready with some fun filled sunshiney posts next week.  I hope you all have a great weekend.  Drink lots of water (even if inbetween your beers) and wear sunscreen.  You may have heard by now... we're in a heat dome!



The view from Clearwater Beach at sunset

White Sangria at the Columbia Restaurant, Ybor City
 
One of my happiest moments this year was     closing a chapter of life in new haven and starting a new one in milford. It was bittersweet to hand in those keys that held my independence for so long, but it was a turning point happy moment.


2.  Summer is beach season and beaches are    my favorite. I could be at the beach all day, every day. There's just something about the salty air, the grainy sand, and the smell of coconut sun tan lotion that takes me back and reminds me of home.

3.  This summer     I've had so many adventures that I can't recall them all. This has been one of the best on record and we haven't even reached August yet.  Ahhhh.... I love summer.

4.  My summer food of choice has been   anything I can grill- burgers, steak, chicken, tuna steak, asparagus, pineapple, you name it. It has definitely been a summer filled with grill marks and outdoor eating.

5.  My summer uniform has been     sun dresses... all the way.  With the heat, it's really the best way to go.

6.  If I could spend the entire summer in one location I would choose      Hawaii.  I've never been but a dear friend, April, grew up there and between her stories and memories and those I've heard from others, I think I would absolutely love to spend a summer in Hawaii... and I'd wish for April to be there too so I could visit with her sweet family .

7.  My summer anthem is       Anything Katy Perry. Not because I like her that much, but Mike loves her and he scans the radio from station to station in search of Katy Perry songs. Right now CT is rocking the Extra terrestrial and Friday Night KP songs in constant rotation. My choice would be NPR with all that is going on in the world and here at home- I get my news fix and I can still play outside all night without having to be parked in front of the tv watching the nightly news



Well friends, have a great weekend!  July seems to be an incredibly popular birthday month so get out there and bake someone you love a cupcake.  Why not?  And don't forget- 15 days until I swim across the Long Island Sound for St. Vincent's.  Just keep swimming...

Yours in hydration and sundresses,
Whitney

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Family

Hello Friends!

Long time, no write, huh?  I'm sorry.  Mike and I spent a wonderful week in sunny Florida visiting my family and experiencing South Beach in the dead of summer.  I know- it was his idea. He's from the North East.  Pictures and stories will be forthcoming as Mike and I are always sure to find an adventure and make crazy new friends along the way.

Today I wanted to focus on family.  While we were home Mike and I were able to really spend some quality time my parents, brother and S.I.L. and my kid sister.  We also visited my grandma and uncle in Clearwater which was a great treat.  Each time I go home I'm reminded of how much I miss these people and how I wish it was easier and less expensive to visit more often.  My mom reminds me that if I only see her twice a year, and she lives to 90 that I'll only see her 60 more times in our lives. Ugh. I hate that.  I wish we lived closer or that the airlines didn't make flying such an expensive form of travel.  But don't get me started on the airlines. That's a rant for another day.

In my day-to-day life it's easy to get wrapped up in work, gym, friends, etc... but no matter how busy I am, I still feel the void of not having family nearby.  I can't just run over to my Mom's house for dinner or meet up with my brother and sister in law for a drink or watch my little sister swim in the FL Junior Olympics.  You really don't realize how much you take forgranted the small chances to meet up with family until they're 1,300 miles away.  We do have skype and phone calling, which I am thankful for, but nothing takes the place of sitting in my mom's living room retelling stories of long ago and laughing until we cry and our bellies are aching. 

I was excited for Mike to meet my family (he's only met my Mom until now) and to see where I'm from.  We travel all over New England and we live across the street from where he grew up so it was really important to be able to share my place, my memories, my family with him.  And... it was a hit!  As I suspected, my brother, Evan, and Mike hit it off like gangbusters.  My mom went out of her way to show Mike a bit about Clearwater and Pinellas County and she even bribed a bar tender for the pint glass that Mike loved and wished he could have.  Miss Susie really came through and Mike proclaimed it as his favorite souvenier from the trip.  And, we managed to squeeze in a great visit with my Dad, Zsuzsa, and sister Annaklara before they departed for Hungary.  Finally, he knows them and they know him. Doesn't it make all the difference when you can put a face and a personality to a name or voice?

All of this rambling is to say that I'm thankful for my family and even more thankful to have been able to share a week with them making new memories to carry me through until the next visit.  It's not easy living this far away from home, but it makes the visits and skypes and calls so much more meaningful.  So whether your family lives close or far away, make sure they know how thankful you are for them. 

So there's plenty more to come... including a visit to the Original Hooters, Gulf Coast seafood, Miami, Key Lime Pie, and much more.  Stay tuned and have a great day!

Yours in sweet memories of vacation,

Whitney

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Treat Yourself Tuesday- Tuna Steaks from TJ's

Hello Friends,

I've missed this little blog for a few days; sometimes life and friends take over and you just can't bring yourself to leave the sunshine to go inside and sit at a computer.  BUT... I couldn't miss treat yourself Tuesday, so here it is!

This week, I highly suggest you treat yourself to the frozen ahi tuna steaks that are in a nice marinade from Trader Joe's.  I accidently threw out the packaging before I wrote the real name down but they shouldn't be hard to find.  They are in the freezer area by the other seafood.  They are nice sized tuna steaks, flash frozen, and they're in a yellow/greenish sauce.  They are wonderfu and inexpensive and not your typical 'frozen' fishl!!! 

I've been making them every couple of weeks on the grill, following the suggested grill time on the packaging and they are delicioso!  It's funny because each time I tell Mike we're having tuna steak for dinner he gets that srcunchy nose face like "I don't know if I like that" and everytime he eats it, he's reminded that he actually loves it.  The marinade is light and not too overpowering.  I also grill asparagus with this and I use the left over marinade juice in the packaging and spoon it over the asparagus whil it's on the grill for a little flavor.  Last week we had our sweet friend Erin over for dinner and I made this, and I'm pretty sure she loved it too. 

The TJ's website suggests this:


Swordfish & Tuna
The Hook to Handling

Best Bet: Thaw from frozen in package in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
2nd Best: Thaw in packaging in bowl of water in fridge for 1-2 hours.
Quick Thaw: Under cold running water.
Cheater Thaw: Remove packaging and microwave on defrost until thawed. Never thaw seafood ar room temperature and marinate only in the refrigerator-discard marinade after use.

Tackle the Prep
Marinate seafood steaks before cooking for most flavorful results.
Best Bet: Grilling: Place marinated steak on an oiled grill. Frequently baste fish while grilling to prevent it from drying out.

Cook it 10 minutes per inch of thickness, turning it halfway through total cooking time. Add 5 minutes to cook time if using foil or cooking in a sauce.

Is it done yet? Pierce the fish with a knife to check to see if edges are opaque and the center is slightly translucent with flakes just beginning to separate. Avoid overcooking!

And, to beat it all, any left overs we have are great on a bed of spinach or greens the next day for lunch (either cold or hot) because it's so flavorful!  You don't need dressing or anything else with it.  Yummy!

So... do yourself a favor and treat yourself to some Trader Joe's tuna steaks.  You won't be sorry.  Well, for those of you without a Trader Joe's nearby, you might be sorry.  And for that, I will be sorry too. 

http://www.traderjoes.com/index.asp

Yours in sweet omega 3 love,
Whitney

Friday, July 8, 2011

My inner 'Dorie'...just keep swimming.

I'm channeling my inner Dorie (from Finding Nemo) to just keep swimming.  With a month to go before the swim across the sound, it's time to crank it into high gear.  We're hoping to get one or two open water swims in before the big day.  It's been challenging to work out a schedule for both CrossFit and swim practice, but I'm finding a way and making it work.



The Seagurls have been hard at work- practicing, swimming time trials, planning fundraisers, and getting ready for August 6th.  That's the day we take the plunge into the Long Island Sound.  I'm mostly excited about this. 

It's been interesting to be back in the water again after what I refer to as my 'retirement' from swimming.  I had forgotten how the chlorine makes your skin so itchy and dry.  I also forgot about the pressure headaches from swim caps and goggles squeezing your head tightly.  Not to mention the serious damage the chlorine does to you hair.  But, I am remembering why I loved to swim my whole life. Why I swam on two teams and woke up at 6am for weekend practices and meets.  The great feeling of glidign through the water when you finally find your rhythm.  The almost immediate physical and aerobic results aren't too bad either.  In all, I'm glad to be back in the water and I hope I can find a way to keep swimming regularly after this event is over.  Truth be told- it's really great exercise.

I have a few anxieties about the jellyfish count in the Sound at this time of year, whether the water will be hot or cold, if my shoulders will hold up for the 30 minute legs.  But mostly, I'm excited to experience this race, I'm happy to support my friend, I'm motivated to be swimming again after so many years out of the pool.  It's going to be fun.  It will surely be hard.  It will definitely be rewarding.  And, I will probably cry at some stage either from nerves or love.


But, like I said.  We're practicing.  We're out there swimming and working on our form.  We'll be in the Sound soon for a test swim and that should give us some indication of how this whole thing will go.  So with that said, stay tuned for more updates on the swim.  We're still fundraising if you feel so inclined to support us.  We could use all the help we can get to reach our goal. 

Here is my fundraising page if you feel so moved to help: https://give.stvincents.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=564&tab=0&frsid=1187
Best wishes for a wonderful weekend.  I hope you find yourselves outside in the sunshine, and maybe out for a swim too! 

Yours in saltwater dreams,
Whitney

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Spoonerisms... know what I mean?

I've often wondered what happens in the brain to make us jumble our words.  Jumble like mix the first letter of two words with each other when you're talking.  It happens all the time in conversation.  But why?  I've heard it's called Spoonerism after a gentleman at Oxford in the 1800s who often mixed his letters up.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoonerism. Read that link for the real story (according to the people that write Wikipedia, anyway).

But, again, why?  Do we talk too fast?  This whole spoonerism thing happens to me a lot.  It's funny too, because I don't always know that it happened until I see the faces in front me, blank stares, frantically searching the recesses of their minds to figure out what I meant to say.  Then I'm trying to review what I heard myself say vs. what I thought I said to see if I mixed my words.  That is probably a rather humerous scene to be a fly on the wall for.  Or, sadly, I occasionally call Mike 'Mark' if I'm talking too fast and say a word with an 'r' after his name.  It's like my brain gets ahead of itself or something.  Needless to say, Mike does not love that one.  I'm sorry. It's not intentional.

It is sort of funny though.  As I write this, I'm recalling a converstaion from this past weekend in which this happened. It's funny because it's silly, and once someone notices they've done this it's as if they can't figure out the correct way to say it for a few seconds.  This past weekend, someone mixed the words, realized it, tried again and mixed them the other way, tried again, mixed them back the first wrong way, and then stopped. At the restart, the words came out correctly.  It was rather interesting to watch that go down and to wait, without taking a breath, until the right words came out.  I can sympathize.  Feel free to giggle the next time I do it. 

I'm pretty sure that my best gal, Marie's, sister studied this type of thing for her Ph.D.  Marie- can you confirm this?  So, it must be a big enough phenomenon then.  Does it happen to you?  Thanks William Archibald Spooner for giving us a name to this little linguistic mishap.

"The Lord is a shoving leopard." (a loving shepherd)

Yours in vowel and consonant scrambles,
Whitney

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Thankful Tuesday (with a treat)

Hello Friends,

Another wonderful holiday is now in the books.  I am so thankful for being able to take a few days to spend with great friends as we celebrate all that the 4th of July means.  With Mike as the history buff, the importance of this day of our independence is not lost on me.  It's easy to get wrapped up in the fun and excitement of cook-outs, beach parties, and fun, but it's also important to remember the significance of this day. 

Today, with so much going on in the world and so many countries currently fighting for independence or democracy, I am so thankful to be able to celebrate July 4th each year; I'm thankful to celebrate our freedom, our nation's birthday so-to-speak.  I hope you all enjoyed friends and family and ate one to many burgers or pieces of watermelon, but I hope you also remembered the importance of this day to us.

Mike and I spent the weekend with wonderful friends in Rhode Island.  We camped inside a historical house in Narragansett and played frisbee at the beach and grilled delicious food and walked to see fireworks.  Mike interjected a few historical factoids in there along the way so we remembered the significance of this, or the importance of that. Rhode Island is home to the longest running Fourth of July parade- in Bristol.  I'll bet you didn't know that! 


And- for a little 'Treat Yourself Tuesday' I'm reposting some great informaiton about coconut oil that I read on a fellow CrossFitter's blog: http://wwwcleaneats-nickipeet.blogspot.com/.  Nicki's blog is all about eating Paleo and she has some great recipes.  You don't have to eat clean/paleo in order to sneak this little gem into your pantry.  Throw out the other oils and reduce your olive oil consumption but adding this delicious and light oil into the mix.  I've used it for everything from eggs to stirfry to crab cakes and it's become my 'Go-to' oil for cooking now.  It's not overly coconutty tasting and I think you'll really like it.  Go for unrefined as it's a bit better.  You can find this at Whole Foods, the organic section of your standard grocery.  Treat yourself, you won't be sorry!

Coconut Oil Benefits

1.) Heart Health-  Extra virgin coconut oil contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in preventing various heart problems including high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. It helps prevent atherosclerosis (clogging of arteries), the saturated fats in coconut oil are not harmful, like the saturated fats in vegetable oil.  It also increases high- density lipoproteins (good cholesterol), and does not increase Low-Density Lipoproteins (bad cholesterol).
2.) Weight Loss- C.O. has short and medium chain fatty acids that are useful in losing weight.  It also improves thyroid (controls metabolism) function therefore increases metabolism.
3.) Digestion- this one is important to me since i've had stomach problems since middle school.  Since I have been eating coconut oil regularly, I have had MUCH fewer flare ups.  Coconut oil aids in digestion and absorption. The saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-microbial effects, so it works against bacteria that disrupts the normal flora of your digestive tract.
4.) Immunity- It has also been found that C.O. has anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties.  This allows your body to fight off infections and viruses more efficiently.
5.) Kidneys-  Can be useful in preventing kidney and gall bladder disease, and also useful in preventing and disolving kidney stones.
6.) Bone + Teeth- C.O. facilitates the absorption of essential minerals such as Calcium and Magnesium, leading to stronger healthier bones and teeth.
7.) Performance- C.O. is thought to improve athletic performance do to the fact that the fats it contains are easily converted to energy. It is thought to increase energy and endurance.
8.) Others- it is also thought to decrease premature aging and degenerative joint disease because of its high antioxidant content, useful in skin care, helps relieve stress, and is an excellent natural source of nutrition for your hair.  Not only can you eat coconut oil, but you can rub it on your skin, and put it in your hair!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Friday...hooray!

Whew, what a week!  Although it was a short week, I felt like today could not get here fast enough. Last night Mike and I rode our bikes to the pool to meet my friend Lindsay (one of the ladies I'm swimming across the sound with) and get some swim practice in.  You know how there some days when it all comes together, and other days when you feel like every move you make is labored?  Lindsay and I agreed that yesterday was one of those days.  BUT- we swam for 15 minutes straight and then did some sprint drills for another 15 minutes.  For the swim, we will have to take 30 minute slots in the water so this is good practice in getting us ready for swimming that long without stopping.  Up next, a few open water swims in the coming weeks to get our sea legs under us... so to speak.

If you're interested in learning more about the swim across the sound and possibly supporting me, click here: http://give.stvincents.org/page.aspx?pid=564&tab=0&frsid=1187 
 
AND- on my way in to work this morning I was juggling way to many things in my hands and I dropped my bottle of honest tea all over the floor at 7:58am. Yep, tea+ glass+ tile floor+ flip flops= MESS! Please go by quickly, Friday. I'm begging.

Now for some fun.  I'm again borrowing the Fill in the Blank Friday theme from my dearest Amanda who turned me on to this blog: http://thelittlethingswedo.blogspot.com/
1.   The best news I ever received was       learning that I was going to be a big sister, again. While I love my brother dearly, we're only 2 years apart so I don't remember what it was like knowing he was coming. But, when we learned that Annaklara was on her way, I was overjoyed. She's been a light in my life ever since...she's now 12!!!!! 

Did I mention she's a state champion triathlete and swims in the FL Junior Olympics?
2.  Something I'm looking forward to is    getting home to Florida in two weeks to see my family and friends and to show Mike my home.  He's always dragging me on these historical New England adventures so I'm ready to show him how we do things Florida style.

3.  Something I would never do is     pierce my tongue or belly button, steal, or cheat.

4.  If I could choose someone to be my life coach (famous or not, living or dead), I'd choose   Caroline from Real Housewives of New Jersey. What? She gives really good advice!  OK- in all seriousness, it'd be my mom and she's basically been my life coach for 31 years. She's lived the ups and downs and gives great perspective and advice. And she knows me enough to know the right approach and what I need to hear. Yea, Miss Susie!

5.  If I had to put a label on my style it would be    challenged.  I always have great visions of what I want, but I have trouble pulling them off. If I had to choose a real style it'd be hippy meets funky. I like slightly mis-matched things and comfy cotton things.

6.  One should always       remember to use their manners. And, remember that everyone is dealing with something so just because you think they should act a certain way doesn't mean they can.

7.  I want to       travel more often to out of the way places on last minute trips