"The Jaguar Prophecies" By: Phyllis Gunderson

I bought this book for $1.50


I think we can all agree that as December 21, 2012 looms closer the more we seem to hear about what will happen to the world. There was recently even a special on one of those cable channels like Discovery or History channels that was all about how to survive after an apocalypse (which seems weird to me since would that not imply that EVERYONE is dead?). I have seen opinions that range from how to properly stock your own underground bunker to why all of those people are crazy because the Aztec calender didn't factor in leap day.


"The Jaguar Prophecies" lands somewhere in the middle.


The book is about an archaeology professor who gets mistakenly asked to attend a Mayan festival in Mexico. While there she gets tricked/forced into the role of messenger to warn her people of the end of an age and the impending changes that will come with it.


I liked it. I hardly even put the book down once I started reading it.


This book was written as the writer's way of not only explaining, but warning all who read it about the changes that are she thinks will befall us in the near future.


Whether you believe in the whole 2012 deal or not, reading this book you have to agree that she has done her homework. It is very well researched, covering many different cultures and ideologies. And all while she tells a good story in the mean time.


I personally don't think the world will stop on December 21.


My thoughts on that are also probably best in a post of their own.


I would recommend this book to people who like to read up on the 2012 prophecies, historical fiction, or even fantasy (that's kind of on the outside though).


Pick it up - It's a good read.

Airports Suck At Life

There are only six people outside of my family that I will make a considerable effort to travel to their weddings. Three of those people are married.... And for the record I did have to travel to all of them. It has never been too big of a deal because I am a pretty patient person and I was able to drive to all of them.


This weekend my best friend since freshman year of high school, Teresa Ewell (soon to be something else but which I can not seem to remember at the moment) is getting married. I really could not be more happy for her. She is one of those women whom I will always call family.

I was super smart though and decided to move to the east coast a month before her wedding in Salt Lake City, Utah. So this means I have to fly or spend multiple days traveling. I found an okay deal on my flight, snagged myself window seats for all my flights, and made sure my iPod charger and book were safely in my purse before leaving.

I thought a little good karma would come my way in any form when I started out my trip by volunteering to check my carry-on bag for the first flight that was stuffed to the brim and since they charge for checking everyone carries on and there really is no room. I figured I would have to wait for another person to land anyway so my ride and I had an hour to chill anyway.

First flight went fine.

Second flight was supposed to take off ten minutes after my first one landed at DFW. I took time to go to the restroom but other than that booked it over to the new gate. Passing all of the open restaurants on the way even though I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

This is where my night took a nasty turn for the worst.

Sequence of events that delayed my flight four hours:

1. the flight attendents for the original flight were 20 min late

2. when we did get boarded we sat on the plane for about half an hour before they told us the plane had a fuel leak. .. fair enough, got un-boarded.

3. by this time EVERYTHING was closed ... dinner = 2 bags of potato chips from a vending machine

4. it actually only took them 20 minutes to get a new plane, unfortunately they then made us move to a new terminal - which at DFW means taking the sky train - they we sat at the gate for about another half an hour

5. after sitting at the new gate for a long time they tell us that our pilots are now illegal to fly now because of when they started

6. it was late enough that there were no pilots readily available, so we had to wait for a flight coming in from Chicago to take their crew.

7. we had to wait TWO HOURS for the new crew!

What did I do to occupy my time?


I rode the "SKYTRAIN" ... a lot.

The Dallas/ Fort Worth airport has five different terminals. Each terminal is in a completely different building not connected to the others in any way that is accessible to the public, except the SKYTRAIN. The SKYTRAIN circles the entire airport on the outside roof level. You can see everything. Since it was night I could see the city lights. Since it was 1am the airport was pretty much empty except my flight and the cleaning crew ... so I was alone and free to enjoy the sights in peace and quiet.

Then I got bored.

So I roamed each terminal hall stopping at free internet kiosks to check my face book. Thank goodness for SKYPE and still having a few friends that keep student hours.

Finally, I get on the plane, I get to SLC, I get my bags.

I go to rent a car ... my original car place that I got a good deal with is closed.

I find the cheapest car from the ones that are open, and I find that somewhere between Hartford and Salt Lake I managed to loose my license. I was able to use my paper temporary one that was still in my wallet ... but it's still annoying.

Now, Instead of arriving at my friend's house at 11pm, I arrive at 5am - sunrise.

Someone Much Wiser Than I Once Said....

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to pray in and play in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."

- John Muir

I have been thinking today about places - in general. They come in so many different forms and functions. 

I can have a place in the city or the country, or smack dab in the middle of the creepiest suburb. 

You can have a place in my thoughts, in my prayers, in my heart, and some even make a place in my very soul. 

I have a place that I go to write in. I have a place that I go to read in. I have a place for walking and for working. I have a few that I run to, and some that I stay away from. 

I even have a certain spot in which I sit to watch my TV.

Even with all of my places I can not help but feel lost every so often. With that I find my new places. One might say that I am a collector of places. Always on the hunt. 

It is my hope that with this you all think about your places. Appreciate them, love them, care for them.

And always be looking, always be open, always embrace your new place.

*photo taken by me in the Port Angeles, WA, USA area