Adventures on the Gorge

Well, today I checked another adventure off of my bucket list… Zip-lining at the New River Gorge in West Virginia! This is definitely a great place to conquer your fear of heights or your fear that the worst is going to happen (ala Final Destination). But we survived!! No cable snapping or falling out of the harness, just pure euphoria after jumping off of the side of a mountain.  The longest zip-line that we rode was 3170 ft in length (the attached picture is from the top of this line) and per the guide is the longest zip-line east of the Mississippi River. I would definitely recommend trying this if you are ever in the area.

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Obscurity

The crash of the waves against the sand drowning out all thoughts
The feel of the cold water against the skin
Going deeper into the vast abyss
Not sure what lies beneath
Into the darkness, the only sense of calm envelopes me in it’s embrace
Trapped below the surface
A tranquil beauty as glimmering moonbeams break through the surface
Leaving behind all reality
Gone

 

 

© Kristen Ricketts 2017

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Summer Reading

With Summer just around the corner, what better time to start thinking about what you want to read. Over the last few weeks this has been something that I have been thinking about a lot; this year I have made myself a resolution to step out of my normal comfort zone and try something new.

So far, I’ve read my first autobiography: Lauren Graham’s Talking As Fast As I Can. If you’re in need for a good laugh I highly recommend this one. Lauren’s personality mimics that of her role of Lorelai Gilmore in Gilmore Girls. I found myself laughing out loud while reading this, and enjoying every minute of it. It had great behind the scenes insight on Gilmore Girls and A Year In the Life. I definitely recommend this one– a great summer read!

I just finished reading JoJo Moyes’ The Girl You Left Behind. This story entwines present day with the past. It’s well written, and builds a strong connection between the reader and the main characters–much like her book Me Before You. I enjoyed reading this book, and up until the end it kept me guessing how things were going to turn out.

Currently, I’m reading Danielle Steel’s A Good Woman. I’ve never been a diehard fan of her writing, but I did love her book No Greater Love, based around the Titanic and the roaring 20’s. A Good Woman is also based in this era, but so far I find this book a little lacking. I guessed the first twist chapters before it happened, but I find myself still being drawn to the main character’s story. I’ll keep with it, and hope that at the end I come to love it as well.

I’ve already started compiling a list of books that I’m going to read over the next few months, and I would love to hear your thoughts or suggestions. For my first True Crime book I’ve chosen Helter Skelter. This one might take me a while to get through, but what I’ve read so far it’s unbelievable how much disregard law enforcement had for the initial crime scene. I’ll also be reading Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. The movie based on this book is one of my favorites from the last few years, and I can’t wait to see how the book compares.

I hope that this gives you some ideas, and please feel free to comment with any suggestions!

Kristen

 

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Titanic: 105 years

It’s hard to believe it’s already been 105 years since the sinking of the Titanic. To this day, this tragedy is still listed as one of the most horrific maritime disasters to date. For 20 years the history of the Titanic has been a large part of my life– I’ve read many books on the subject, and keep up with the newest theories about why the Titanic sank to the bottom of the ocean. The latest one that I’ve seen states that there was a large fire in one of the boilers that compromised the structural integrity of the steel around the area. Unfortunately, the iceberg hit exactly this area which could have led to the easiness that the ice cut through the ship.

Almost 3 years ago my husband I had the chance to visit the last port of call in Cobh, Ireland; in 1912, this area was known as Queensland. Seeing the artifacts from both the Titanic and White Star line made this event even more real to me. As I read the names of those lost at sea that fateful day, my heart went out to the families who never got to see their loved ones again.  Below, I’ve included two pictures from the museum–I apologize for the glare. The poem was written by an Irishman from the area.

 

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Like I promised, here are my thoughts on the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride in Universal Orlando.

The building, the realistic animatronic Goblins that you walk past in line–all these exceeded my expectations. However, when it came down to the 3D technology used, I found it a little lacking. I don’t know if there was an issue the day that we were in the park, but the scenes were so blurry that it made it hard to figure out what we were actually looking at. For a park that put so much time and money into the design of a realistic Wizarding World, I was a little disappointed. The 3D in the Amazing Spiderman ride which opened in 1999 was clearer to see and an overall better experience.

That said, even the 3D issue won’t keep me from going back again and enjoying the whole wizarding experience.

 

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Hi everyone! I apologize in the delay of my first post…it seemed like life got in the way the last week and kept me from posting. If you’ve read my “about” page, you already know a little about me, but I’ll fill you in on a little more. My name is Kristen, and I am starting this blog to post my thoughts on various subjects including books, movies, or anything that might come up along the way. Of course, I would love to read your comments or feedback.

The name of this blog “It Happened While Writing” is a nod to one of my favorite classic movies “It Happened One Night” featuring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. This movie means so much to me and my childhood, that on a vacation to Gettysburg, my husband and I happened upon an antique vendor selling a promotional picture of the two leads…of course I had to have it! For years, my husband was a good sport and dealt with it sitting in the coveted position on the night stand next to the bed. Clark Gable was one of my Grandmother’s favorite actors, and because of this she got me watching a lot of his films.

Fun fact: there is a Clark Gable museum located in Cadiz, OH. I’ve personally visited this museum twice; it’s located in the house where Clark was born and contains pictures and memorabilia.

Currently, I’m en route to Florida where I will be immersed in the world of one of my favorite book series Harry Potter! I can’t wait to see Diagon Alley and ride the Hogwarts Express; I will let you all know my thoughts when I get back.

Until next time,

Kristen

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