Good Bye 2011; Hello 2012

Today is the start of a new and better year. 2011 threw me a lot of curve balls. Some I was ready for, some not so much. The end of the year was one of everyone's worse nightmares; home invasion. On Dec. 27, 2011, our house was broken into and over $6,000 of items were stolen. Some items were a PS3, Xbox, iPod Touch, two laptops, and camera [that I use for photography]. Not only did these items [and more] get taken, but I had to shut down my photography shop because I no longer have any access to any prints [except for the few 4x6 prints I had printed] and no longer have a camera [except a 7mp that's seen better days]. I do online schooling so I have to have a computer. Since they took the laptop, I was forced to bring out and hook up my desktop [that's 6 years or so old]. Some other items had sentimental value to them. The fact that someone was lurking around outside while we were home, until no one was home and came into the place where I lay my head down at night is down right terrifying. Nothing [not even a security system] will ever make me feel 100% safe here. On the bright side of things, we did managed to get my PS3, some games, and iPod back yesterday. We even noticed two new accounts made on my PS3 and they had left their e-mail address on it. Smart, huh? All of that info has been turned over to the police. Fingers crossed that info leads to the no-good-low-life-scums that broke in. It's so messed up that we work for what we have and a low life scum [apparently too lazy to work for anything], takes it. This world is so messed up. But anyways, 2012 will def. be a better year. Once this is over with, I will put 2011 in a box and bury it. Never to see it again. It has been one heck of a roller-coaster ride. A ride I wish to not ever get on again. There were some positives that came out of 2011 and those I will hold close and always remember, but everything else can go in that buried box. I wish everyone the best of luck this year =]

P.S.: We won't die until we're old &/or God says it's our time! Regardless of the year.

Resolutions:
1) Get my items back
2) Reopen my photography shop
3) Exercise daily
4) Finish school
5) Live life & be happy

Cruise 2011

Hello all! As promised, I have some photos of the cruise and two videos =) I'm currently working on a video of the Dream Works: Move It! Move It! Parade, but my video editor wasn't wanting to be nice. I will post it when I get it made though =) Since I have sooo many photos, I will provide links below [the photos] for additional photos =) I had a wonderful time. It was much bigger than the previous cruise I had went on, but I wasn't too impressed with the food on the larger boat =/ Now what I was impressed with was Burger King's food in Grand Cayman. They have what fast food food is supposed to be. It was soooo much better than the Burger King's here. Not to mention, the people were nicer than here. We were trying to figure out where the beach was & a customer happened to hear us & told us exactly how to get there. Very friendly. That would never happen here, lol. Of all the places we went to, Grand Cayman was my favorite. There's much more stuff to do there without worrying about if you're going to get left.



Funny Haiti Wood Carving - VIDEO
FlowRider - VIDEO

Cruise 2011
Mexico
Grand Cayman
Haiti
Jamaica
Dream Works: Move It! Move It!

Japan's Earthquake, Hawaii's Tsunami

Yesterday's Posting: Rain, duckies in scuba gear, photography, & food.

As I was on my way to bed last night, something on the news caught my eye. Japan's earthquake & tsunami. I read about it around 3am (I think). I woke up between 7:30am & 8am and saw that it was a 8.9 quake, their most powerful earthquake to hit in recorded history. I've been checking CNN's website about it every so often & it's just terrible. I was watching a video early this morning of Japan. I was particularly watching this one building & I was watching the water get higher and higher to this window on the building. Then I happen to notice this bridge like road with about 3 or 4 cars on it (not moving). Then I saw this man run from one side of the road to the other side. The water was so high, if he reached over, he could touch it. I can only imagine the thoughts going through his head. It is said that "200 to 300 bodies were found in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai, the city in Miyagi prefecture, or state, closest to the epicenter. Another 137 were confirmed killed, with 531 people missing. Police also said 627 people were injured." Not only was Japan hit, but Hawaii was hit by a tsunami. "The first impact in Hawaii was felt shortly after 3:07 a.m. (8:07 a.m. ET), according to Hawaii State Civil Defense, which issued a tsunami warning. The first waves hit Hawaii about 9 a.m. EST. A tsunami about 7 feet high was recorded on Maui and a wave at least 3 feet high was recorded on Oahu and Kauai." The entire West Coast of the US was on tsunami alert as well. "In California, tsunami wave heights of 7 feet were predicted at Port San Luis Harbor and 4 feet in Morro Bay. Santa Monica could see 2.8 feet". I can't imagine experiencing something like this & I hope I never do. Times like this make you realize our truly lucky you are that you didn't have to go through this. I have posted links below of different stories of the event, some of them have video. Let's keep these families in our prayers. They really need it.

Hundreds Killed in Tsunami After 8.9 Japan Quake
Widespread Destruction from Japan Earthquake, Tsunamis - with video
American in Japan: Quake 'Very Scary' - with video
U.S. Appears to Escape Major Tsunami - with video
Murrells Inlet, SC Couple Impacted by Japan Earthquake
Have Family or Friends in Hawaii or Japan?