Titanic, May They be at Peace

April 15^th marks the 100^th Anniversary of the Titanic tragedy.

I first heard of Titanic when I was eleven. My teacher had a ticket to board the ship. However, they ended up canceling because her brother was ill.

Unfortunately, many were not so lucky.

I first met Titanic up close and personal in 2006. A traveling exhibit came to Atlanta, and I had to go see it. I was not disappointed. They had the original bell on display. The brass gleamed as if it was new, and I could picture the people waving from shore. I could hear the horns blaring and the bell ring as it pulled away from the port. Those on board did not realize that most would never see land again.

April 14^th 2009, I had another chance to visit. This one was a bit different. During the exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium, they had a paranormal group do a walk through at night, and I was able to attend. No evidence was found that night. However, the objects whispered of better times. Times, before their owners departed.

Orlando, has a permanent exhibit. One with life size replicas, to make you relieve that night as time ticks away. The most moving part for me was standing on the deck. The air was brisk and cold and the night was pitch black. A chill ran down my spine as we were separated from our loved ones. Ladies and children first.

And today, Titanic is back in Atlanta. And once again, I was drawn to her story. The boilers gleamed in the darkness, and I imagined the fireman shoveling away, as they tried to give power to the massive ship. Even though they knew that death was upon them.

It was just enough. The band played on as the last life boat left. Terror filled the night, as the oars splashed in the frigid water, as they pulled away from the broken dream.

May they be at peace. 

Cute Kittens!

Sorry no kittens here, just stark cold reality. Child Abuse is not a pretty thing, but please don't look away!

April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month

I really never thought about child abuse until a few years ago. I knew about it, of course. I just neverthought about it.  

Coming from a happy home with two parents who spoiled me rotten, I had no reason to think about it. I watched made for TV movies like David, about a boy who was set on fire by his father, and Sybil, a woman who blocked out her atrocious childhood by creating different personalities. Both were true stories, but somehow they didn’t seem real.

And then I met Kennesaw Taylor. Kennesaw is a boisterous guy, always in good spirits, and has a smile on his face. He writes about the south, and life in general. He has several humor books about how crazy is the new normal.

And you would have no idea about the horrors of his past unless you picked up his other book. The one without smiling faces, the one with the dark cover. The true one.

Informally Educated is the story of Kennesaw’s survival. He never has had an easy life, and it just kept getting worse and worse as he grew older. He was only eight years old when true evil entered his world. It would remain for six years until the evil was finally snuffed out.

Kennesaw’s recollections are vivid and horrifying. However, what is really disturbing, is the people who knew. The neighbors, the teachers, the police, and yes even his mother. The adults who knew that he and his siblings were being harmed, and looked the other way.

I was aghast. I was upset. I was mad!

And what does Kennesaw reply when I ask him about it? He just shrugs and says “That’s how it was back then”.

It was. And the sad thing is, that it still happens today. People still look away.

A poem about child abuse

By Kennesaw Taylor

Die Sweet Child

I’ve watched men die, held their hand, heard their final breath.

Men who had proved themselves; men who had passed their test.

I’ve watched men die who needed it, men who had no heart.

I see them in my dreams sometimes, but am glad I did my part.

The words I speak now are so damn true, most will not understand.

Sometimes you wish to die to avoid again, that awful hand.

I hope you cannot understand what it means to wish to die.

I understand oh too well and for those kids I cry.

I’m sad each time I hear the news that a child has lost its fight.

But I know in my heart of hearts that they will sleep in peace for the first time that night.

So die sweet child, one after one until the world does see.

That they must put a stop to what happened to you and me.

www.kennesawtaylor.com

www.beatchildabuse.org

Aloha! From SeaWorld’s Makahiki Luau

SeaWorld Orlando hosts the Makahiki Luau. I have always wanted to go to a Luau so I went online to make reservations. I have five in my party and the online system stated I had too many guests to book online. I had to call in and was helped quickly. I was even able to use my AAA discount over the phone.

The luau started at 6:00pm and we would be allowed access to Sea World any time after Five. A free hour at SeaWorld! woo who!

We arrived about 4:30 to park, parking was free since we were there for an event. The ticket taker was very nice and gave us directions to the Seafire Inn where the Luau will be held.  Since we had some extra time, me and mom went shopping while the men went off in search of penguins.

Nick after Manta

Aloha!

Family at the Luau

SeaWorld has very reasonable prices on their souvenirs, not a huge selection though. We met up with my son at the Shark Encounter. We went through the underwater tunnel and headed to the Inn.

We checked in and got out our lei’s from one of the natives. Nicholas and my Dad showed up, they had struck out on the penguin search. SeaWorld used to have a penguin exhibit, not sure when or why it ceased.

We gathered for a group photo, which turned out great. You receive a free 5×7 with your meal.

They hand out a complimentary Mai Tai or lemonade as you enter. When seated your salad plate with fruit and yummy banana nut muffin is ready to eat. For the main course they serve you tilapia, chicken breast, and pulled pork. For sides they offer wild rice, which was delicious, and seasoned vegetables. You are sat at long tables with other parties. I sat next to a nice couple, Jeff & Cathy Adrian from Murfreesboro, TN.

We were disappointed to learn they did not have sweet tea. But they did leave us pitchers of coke, water and all the sprite you can drink! For desert you get a sampling of three desserts. It was quite dark so I’m not really sure what they looked like but they were tasty. In fact I was very impressed with how good the food was and you were able to get seconds if you had room!

They had a variety of music, from traditional island music, to drum ceremonies. The dancers were fabulous. They demonstrated different regional dances. I wish they sold the glow in the dark pompoms in the gift shop. My niece would have loved them! The most spectacular event was the fire dancer. He was quite daring and I’m glad his buns didn’t burn.

The Luau lasted two hours and was a great way to end a wonderful trip. Aloha!

If you would like to read more from Lynn, please visit: my website,  my Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads or sign up for my Newsletter!

Titanic, The Ship of Dreams, 100 Years Later

re-posted from iseekissimmee.com

Roused from my bed, I made my way to the ship’s deck. The wood creaked beneath my feet as I stepped onto the planks. The chill from the night air wiped the last threads of sleep from my befuddled mind. People were milling about in all manors of dress. Murmurs ran through the crowd, as everyone tried to ascertain the reason for their situation. Then the news came, the unsinkable ship was sinking. As I looked out upon the still ocean, surrounded by nothing but stars, fear crept into my heart.

April 14, 2012 marks the 100^th Anniversary of the Titanic disaster.  What better way to honor the fallen than to walk in their footsteps?  Titanic The Experience has full-size replicas of the Grand Staircase and several other rooms.

I have always been fascinated by the Titanic. Having read several books and visiting several other Titanic exhibits, I figured “Titanic the Experience” would be pretty much the same. I was wrong. It was better.

The Orlando attraction offers guided or self-tours through the exhibit.  I highly suggest waiting for a guide. The premise is: you are a first class passenger, and are treated as such. The guide was wonderful, the tour started out with excitement at the maiden voyage of the greatest ship ever built. Then it slowly turns to grim realization that you might not survive. Many froze to death from the frigid water, an iceberg is present so you can experience what 28 degree water feels like.

I was one of the lucky ones, Michael survived as well. Nicholas, well Nicholas wasn’t as lucky. He was lost along with 1516 others.

There was no gift shop on Titanic itself, but there is one at the attraction. You can purchase replicas of China and other amenities which were saved from the deep. They also offer a Titanic Dinner Show, which sounds wonderful, but was out of my budget. They do have a nice selection of books on the tragedy and I picked up a couple, as well as, a ceremonial pin depicting 100 years.

The guided tour took about an hour. I found the tour guide, and the sweet lady in the gift shop to be incredibly knowledgeable and willing to answer questions.

Titanic is going down as one of my favorite attractions!

For more info on Titanic the Experience, click here.

Read my rant about the Titanic Movie.

If you would like to read more from Lynn, please visit: my website,  my Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads or sign up for my Newsletter!

Life is a Beach!

“My Precious…” We trudged up the hill to the lodge. Sweat trickled down our backs, but we knew we must go on. We shielded our eyes from the glaring light from the sun, wait, yes. We were there, we made it! The cell phone had arrived! Special thanks to Sprint for their incredibly fast service!

Back on track, we loaded up the van with the family and tossed in the dog for good measure. Off to the beach!

Even though I’m a Pisces, I don’t like the water. I like looking at the water, I just don’t care for being in the water. I do like sand though, and chocolate. And what better beach is there to visit for a chocolate lover than Cocoa Beach?

Cocoa, Florida was named after the cocoa plants in the area. With visions of a chocolate paradise in my mind, I headed east. I was a bit disappointed not to find chocolate fountains after arriving but it was a nice drive. Only took about an hour to get there, just be sure you keep some cash handy for the tolls. Cost about seven bucks round trip.

We finally found a park with public access, and lots of signs with warnings. No Dogs. Since we had a dog, this was a bit of a downer. We ventured a bit further and found a dog park entrance just off the beach. So we split our time between hanging out at the dog park with Wyatt and going to the beach.

Wyatt thinks he’s a person, and does not play well with other dogs, so we kept him on a leash. The beach crew had a much better time than Wyatt.

You could not have asked for a nicer day, the weather was perfect! About 82 degrees, the sand was warm, the water was refreshing, and the clouds were ample. I love clouds and spend a lot of time staring at them and finding shapes. This was like a cloud paradise. I think they should rename Florida the Cloud State.

Cocoa Beach has my vote for the softest sand. Kind of like a free spa get away. Your feet are getting exfoliated, you can do seaweed wraps, nature is awesome. So I plop down into the velvety sand, and enjoy the never ending breeze coming from the ocean. The blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds and I amused myself by taking pictures and watching the sea gulls battle.

I never realized how graceful sea gulls were. When they land, they kind of hover a bit before touching down. I bury my feet in the sand and close my eyes, as the sound of the waves push my to do list out of my head.  This was the best Birthday ever!

Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival March 7th – May 20th

Re-posted from: i.see.kissimmee

Epcot was a big “yes” for my entire family. And what better time to visit than during the Flower and Garden Festival?

The Kids ran off to go Soarin’ while I and my Dad hit  Spaceship Earth This was my first time riding and after only a five minute wait we were back in time. Ironically, it covers how paper was first created and then books. I thought the animated figures were very realistic as they showed man’s progression through time. The slow moving ride should be fine for everyone. I did however, find the air to be stuffy, which did not help my asthma.

Back outside and into the refreshing Florida breeze! We headed over to The Land section to eat breakfast. They had a wide variety, and prices were better than I had expected. Afterwards, we rode Living with the Land. Disney was kind to let us use the fast pass lane, to accommodate my Dad’s walker. This is a boat ride expounding upon the future of farming. The nine pound lemons were a site to behold!

Then the gates open to the World Showcase!  To me, this is the best part of Epcot. To explore different places and cultures that I have only read about. Intermixed with the countries are the stunningly accurate sculptures out of flowers. The Princess couples were my favorite! I selected my favorite pics, but you can see all of them by visiting my shutterfly page.

Did I mention shopping? Epcot is the shoppers paradise! I picked up a lucky owl from Japan, and a statue of Buddha. My mother purchased an authentic Cuckoo Clock from Germany, and my father stocked up on Dragonwell tea in China.

We had lunch at Les Chefs De France in Paris. They offered a three course Meal for $23 which included French Onion soup, a choice of entrée’s and choice of dessert. I shared it with my son and we had plenty to eat. My youngest son shared the soup as well, but picked out the onions, which completely defeats the purpose of eating French onionsoup!

While you’re in France be sure to see the 18 minute film. It depicts beautiful landscapes and wonderful Castles. Plus, unlike Canada and China, this one has seats!

Epcot is humongous and requires at least two days to get through it properly, but if you have only one, don’t miss the World Showcase!

You still have time to make the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, March 7^th - May 20^th!

The LAND

France

Sleeping Beauty

The Women of Universal

Reposted from: http://i.seekissimmee.com/2012/03/24/the-women-of-universal/

The Women of Universal By Lynn Hubbard

As a family, we love the Universal theme parks, it has something to offer everyone. So, while the kids were riding the Mummy, I wandered down the street to visit the Women of Universal. Betty & Lucy.

Betty Boop was created in the 1930’s, although she’s in her eighties she still is a beauty. Betty is an icon for women. She’s feisty and funny and Universal has given her a corner spot on Broadway.

Betty’s favorite colors are Red, Black and Pink. The store carries unique merchandise, such as feather boas, garter belts and everything Betty. It is also a great place to pick up postcards with celebrities from the glory days of Hollywood. These include such greats as James Dean, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and many other screen legends.

Next to Betty is “Lucy-A Tribute.” Of course, there is only one Lucy, Lucille Ball. Lucille starred in many rolls but her most famous was “I Love Lucy” a sitcom from the fifties. The walk thru museum shadows her life. It has old movie projectors you can peek into, original costumes and props from her shows and movies. And if you’re up on your Lucy Trivia, you can take the quiz!

I remember my mother watching Lucy reruns on television when I was young. I believe many women can relate to Lucy. Lucy had  many big dreams and ideas. The fact that most backfired horribly did little to deter her spirit! She brought laughter to millions and I am happy she is still being honored at Universal.

This is also a great area to get Character Photos and Autographs. As we strolled down the street we ran into Betty Boop in the flesh. Marilyn Monroe was also present as was Bullwinkle, Scooby Doo, Curious George, and Lisa & Homer Simpson.

There doesn’t seem to be any set schedule for the characters. They show up at random and alternate. I’ve seen the whole troop from Madagascar show up, along with the mystery machine, driven by Shaggy of course.  Lucy and Desai are frequent visitors as well. One of the best deals is an autograph book. Every character has a unique signature and many draw pictures aswell. My favorite autograph so far is from the Egyptians in The Mummy area. When asking for an autograph they act like they have never seen a pen before, and they take a very long time to mark on the page. Wolverine is very gruff, and simply draws three slashes. Love it!

Not to be out done by Disney, Universal has their own Princesses.

Click here to see all of my pics from the trip!