Even though the newest thrill ride at Sea World Orlando does not officially open to the public until May 22, I got to ride it today! Manta is on soft opening. That means they are up and running, but testing various aspects of the ride, like line timing and such.

I went to Sea World as a chaperone with some of the kids from my high school. It was mostly Biology and Marine Science students and this particular trip had an overload of people volunteer to chaperone initially. I’m not sure what happened, but about a week ago they ended up with too few chaperones. I was not even going to ask to go, but I’m thrilled it worked out. I’m not sure I will ever have another opportunity to go to Sea World for free. ?

Anyway, I’m sure you are much more interested to hear about Manta. It is amazing. I am a roller coaster fan and have never really played on anything quite like this. Besides that jolting second loop, the ride is smooth, freeing, and made me laugh with pure glee the entire time. I rode Manta with a couple of other teachers, one of which was dead set against going when we got to the park that morning. I think she just experienced so much enthusiasm throughout the course of the morning that she got all caught up and in the end she was the most excited person in our group.

I know Sea World is not known primarily for the thrill rides, but I think they made a brilliant move when they brought this one on board. It’s worth the entire price of admission. Well, that and those super cute puffins.

It does not matter if you are single or married, a mother or childless – women need to give themselves the time to spend with other women in a social setting, free of stress, and focused on fun and relaxation. When I was newly married, I went out with girlfriends who were also newly married. When I had my daughter, I made time to go out at least once a month with other moms from my MOPS group.

Essentially, I feel like it is important to spend time with other women who share your current life situation. I’m not discounting friendships with people who are in different places in their lives, those are also important relationships. However, you just can’t blow off steam the same way you can when surrounded by girls who really get where you’re at in life right now.

I’ve got a couple of single friends I went thought my teacher training program with a couple of years ago. They are both a little younger than me, but most of the of the women in that class were married and don’t take the time to get out with the girls very often. I’m having dinner with these two girls tonight.

One also works in the same sort of teaching position that I do, but at another school. The other is looking for teaching work, but toughing it out at a publishing company right now. She and I have similar degrees from back in college. In any event, we are all pretty close to the same place in life. Of course, I am the only one with a daughter, but that is not what we focus on when we go out together.

I can talk to my other friends until the cows come home about the shortage of jobs in education right now, but they don’t fully understand. My teacher friends get it, but you only want to do so much venting with co-workers. I try very hard not to gossip in the workplace and once you start talking about the job situation, someone inevitably brings up one or more of the teachers at school that they do not think deserve to be teaching. It’s never safe territory once that topic arises.

Makes sure you are getting out of the house with your friends from time to time, ladies. A husband or a boyfriend should indeed be a best friend to you, but there is nothing like sharing time with like-minded women. They will understand you on the most basic level and that is important.

We live within about an hour of the Walt Disney theme parks and yet we only find our way over there about once a year. It is not because I don’t like the parks. I love them, especially Epcot. It is because it is just way too expensive to go more often.

For a family oriented travel destination, Disney is sure not wallet friendly. The park tickets are enough to choke an elephant. When you add in hotels, food and gas then the whole things becomes daunting.

If I lived a little closer, I would buy a Florida resident annual pass, but I don’t live quite close enough.

So, I find ways to make the trip worth it. We go each year for the night time Pirates & Princesses Party, but even those once-reasonable tickets have gone way up in price. This year we stayed an extra day at the parks, but that was only because my friend got us all in on an employee pass for one day and the parks were free for us on Saturday.

I’ve just been trying to work it out with my sister how she and I will allocate the funds to take our kids for my daughter’s next birthday. And in the face of all that – Disney has just announced they are raising prices starting today!

As of today (August 3, 2008), The Walt Disney Co. is raising one-day ticket prices. Tickets for anyone 10 and older to Walt Disney World in Orlando will rise from $71 to $75. Tickets for kids 3 to 9 will go from $60 to $63.

Tickets in California are a tad more reasonable. At Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, one-day prices will go from $66 to $69 for 10 and older and from $56 to $59 for children 3 to 9.

It’s not just the one-day passes that are increasing in price. Multi-day and Hopper passes are also going up.

I happen to live here in Florida, but for those who are driving or flying to the area, there is already the high travel costs involved. Hotels are not getting cheaper, and food is decidedly more expensive all around. It seems a slap in the face for Disney to decide they will contribute to the rising costs of American life. Recreation is one thing most Americans agree they can cut out of their budgets. And, it seems most Americans are indeed cutting recreational activities. There will come a time where the Disney parks will primarily serve non-American visitors. Seems a waste of American real estate.

I was in college when I first became aware of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). I never became involved, but I flitted on the outskirts of the world so many of many friends created for themselves in the fantasy of Renaissance life. Along the years I have attended my fair share of Renaissance festivals in many states. I have enjoyed the benefit of having friends who have closets full of enchanting costumes and practiced mannerisms that nearly sweep one back in time.

It’s not like you can just walk into your local Galleria and find the bodices, bloomers, and surcotes you need to fully realize a believable character. A lot of my friends sewed their own costumes, or had other friends make them. Most of them, though, would locate the proverbial needle in a haystack and track down a retailer that sold the right costuming elements.

I went to college before the internet was a full-fledged phenomenon, so finding the costume retailers was a feat. Now, you can just logon and find sites like The Renaissance Store. It’s like a dream come true if you are planning a costume for a RenFest or the like. And, I finally found a believable pirate costume for my nephew that we can use for next year’s Pirate and Princess Party at Disney.

I was never much a Disney fan until I moved to Florida. And then, when I had my daughter the Disney-mania really kicked in and took over in my life. My daughter is obsessed with the Disney Princesses and we go to the annual Pirates and Princess Party at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando for her birthday every year. And, when we can afford it, we enjoy the other parks as well. My personal favorite is Epcot.

You may be aware that Disney has been doing this Year of a Million Dreams promotion for more than a year now. People win random awesome prizes on a daily basis. Well, a Florida teenager won the ultimate prize last year – an around-the-world tour of all eleven Disney theme parks.

Joshua Peterson of Eustis, FL is only 18, but a visit to Epcot last year put his in the right place at the right time and he was given the “grand marshal world tour” prize – which makes this teenager a world traveler. His whole family will go along for the ride. It all begins with a parade at the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday. Then, the Petersons get to visit the three other Disney parks in Florida, followed by the parks in Anaheim, California; Hong Kong; Tokyo; and Paris.

Yep. I’m just a tad jealous.

One of the cooler things about living in Florida is that we are home to a plethora of baseball teams during spring training. The Yankees have a beautiful stadium over by the airport in Tampa. The Phillies have the most amazing complex right down the road from my house. The Blue Jays and the Rays are right here in town as well.

Teams that train in Florida (Grapefruit League) play other Florida-training teams in their exhibition games, so we get a lot of inexpensive, fun entertainment around here this time of year. When I drove past Brighthouse Field on US 19 Saturday, it was packed with spectators.

My homeowners association does some pretty cool stuff to try and build a better sense of community. They have movies on the green, blocks parties, pool parties, comedy night, picnics, the list goes on. One of the events that they are planning now is a casino night. If this works out, it is something they want to sponsor on a regular basis. They are even going to get a babysitting coop together so more adults can make it to the event.

The big picture pan is for the association to actually purchase most of the equipment. There is no need to rent poker tables over and over if we are going to use them six to twelve times a year. Plus, the committee in charge of planning the events feels like we can rent out the town hall and the casino equipment to people in the neighborhood who want to have parties of their own. We can purchase Texas Hold’em tables and even game chairs online for a lot less than the local dealers we’ve found so far. And, since we are one of the nicer communities in the area, there is the possibility we can lease our hall and casino goodies to other associations in the area that do not have community facilities. We’re actually hoping to get a lot of use out if the setup.

Personally, I am all over this for fundraising. I think it would be an exciting way to raise a little cash for some of our other events like the annual Easter Egg Hunt and craft days for the kids.

Rumors are flying that former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Toney Dungy is getting ready to come back to Tampa. Dungy coached the Bucs from 1996 to 2001. He took over the Colts in 2002, leading them to a Super Bowl win last year.

Dungy will not confirm or deny plans to come back to Tampa, but the Plant High football coach did confirm that Dungy’s son Eric did enroll this week. Dundy is under contract in Indianapolis through the 2009 season, at $5-million per season.

Dungy has been open about his plan to return to Tampa when he is done with coaching. He and his wife still own a home in North Tampa.

If you look at local bulletin boards online, the sentiment is almost unanimous: Come home Dungy. You are loved.

I was driving behind a car yesterday that had a bumper sticker reminding drivers to watch out for motorcycles. It upset me a little bit, because to me that implies that accidents involving motorcycles are always the fault of drivers in cars and trucks. I have not found that to be the case, especially lately.

Here in Florida, there is a topic that is garnering a lot of attention – especially from bikers. Local news broadcasts last night were chock full of interviews with bikers in the area laying out their opinion on the new bill filed in the Florida House that proposes that riders charged with reckless driving or exceeding the speed limit by 50 mph can be arrested and have their vehicles seized. The riders could also have their licenses suspended for up to ten years.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami. He points out that it is not just the fact that riders put themselves at risk with reckless driving, but they also endanger others. There were 119 deaths caused by motorcycles in Florida in 2006, and that is just the report for the urban areas. In those 119 deaths, all but ten involved motorcycles moving up to three times the posted speed limit.

Speed brings up another issue. Lopez-Cantera admits that stopping a biker going 120 mph is difficult. He points out, though, that police are allowed to follow bikers in helicopters and unmarked cars until they stop. So, it’s not impossible.

Florida’s chapter of American Bikers Aiming Toward Education (ABATE) does not like the proposed law. James “Doc” Reichenbach, the group’s president, says it is going to be a problem if it comes down to taking away a rider’s bike.

“(And that’s) if they catch them. They can’t catch them now,” Reichenbach said.

A pretty flippant remark, wouldn’t you agree?

Locally, the spotlight has really been on deaths caused by motorcycle riders.

My sister and her son passed a terrible accident on U.S. 19 Monday that involved a high performance bike. It turns out that Craig Hales (22) was riding a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle at more than 100 mph when he hit a sport utility vehicle with a force that caused the SUV to flip. Both Hales and driver of the SUV died as their vehicles went up in flames. The bodies were not even immediately identified, because they were so badly mangled.

On Wednesday, Lawrence Kwiatkowski (29) was killed in Largo when his Yamaha R1-1000 motorcycle hit a large pickup. Just here in Pinellas County there were at least three other deaths involving motorcyclists in the past month.

With high gas prices and cars becoming more expensive, it makes sense that people are turning to motorcycles for their personal transportation. My issue is with riders who don’t obey the laws of the road. How many times have I started to change lanes, seen nobody behind me within sight and then had a speeding bike come up on me within seconds? I remember seeing one a couple of months ago that quite literally looked like a cartoon blur as it passed me. I see biker pop wheelies, ride in between lanes and cut off other drivers.

In Florida, anyone over 21 only has to pass a written and skills test to get a motorcycle endorsement on their license. There is no additional training needed unless you are under 21. As of July 21, though, all drivers of any age who do not already have their motorcycle endorsement will have to do a training program to ride or register a motorcycle in their name.

The problem, though, seems to be with riders who do not have a respect for the law. I know that does not include all riders, but consider that Hales had been ticketed for speeding four times in the past five years. When he died Monday, his license had been suspended indefinitely, but that had not kept him off the roads.

Add all of that to the fact that there is not currently a helmet law in Florida and you have a recipe for disaster. Of course, when a biker is traveling at more than 100 mph when they crash, a helmet is not going to save them. I feel like the proposed legislation is a good move forward. I think, though, that there should also be a bill proposed that would target drivers of other vehicles who drive recklessly and speed to excess. Why should they not have their cars taken way as well? Perhaps that would have kept someone like Nick Hogan, Hulk Hogan’s son, off the roads so that his accident in August of last year may have been avoided.

My beef is with the bikers who speed, cut me off, drive between lanes and generally treat our public roads like their personal playground. I am the first person who will stop at a light and admire the bike pulled along beside me. I love motorcycles in general, but I loathe the foolish riders who are making our roads so much more dangerous.

I was browsing Lori’s blog, A Cowboy’s Wife, and saw that she and her gang played Spoons on New Year’s Eve. Holy Cow. It has been a good ten years since I planed Spoons and I did not realize until just now how much I loved that game. I also miss having enough people around the house to play games that take several people. There are just so many games my four-year-old princess and I can play on our own and Go Fish is getting old, my friends

Yesterday my daughter and I went over to Sand Key Park in Clearwater Beach to watch the surfers. The place was crawling with people in wetsuits. We finally had a cold snap last night and at the same time, surfing conditions are decent at certain times of the day. So, people dressed for the weather and headed out to the north end of the park. Sand Key is a county park often overlooked by tourists and one of your best bets if you’re looking for a less crowded option for beach activities. The sand is just as powder soft as Clearwater Beach, but the parking is more convenient and less expensive. Plus, you avoid the boisterous crowds of out-of-towners. It’s curious that so many people overlook the park, seeing as it is just south of the main drag and you can see the piers from the park.

Sand Key is known to have a jetty that makes it the best surfing in North Pinellas. In addition to the surfing, the park is known for its great views, generous playgrounds, modern bathroom facilities and hometown friendliness.

I just spoke to my dad again last night. Tuesday was his birthday and yesterday was his wedding anniversary (and today is his wife’s birthday – fancy that!) Anyway, he was telling me about the snow falling as I spoke to him on the phone. It might have been enviable, had said snow not been icy and bone-chilling. He said the wind was ramping up to bring in even colder temperatures. Not my cup of tea. Lots of states in the US are getting early snows this year. Is it cold where you live?

It’s not cold here! This morning was vaguely chilly, but this afternoon it is 74 and the bright blue skies are free from clouds. It is simply lovely out there. Between a doctor’s appointment right after lunch and picking up my daughter from her school, I decided to kill a little bit of time and drive down by the Gulf. The water was filled will boaters and some swimmers and the some leisure lovers riding beach bikes on the powder white sand. I had a very strong urge to go home and get my swimsuit. You cannot help but want to stop and enjoy a blissful December afternoon like this one. My daughter and I ride our bikes here in our neighborhood, but I would really like to have a bike to ride along the water, on the sand, where I can ride slow and watch for dolphins and birds. Beach cruisers tend to have fatter tires and bigger frames. Oh, and lower, wider, more comfortable seats. They are designed with leisure in mind.

You know you wish you were in Florida right now. I know you do! Hands down, this is the place to be in the winter. We’re going to put on our sandals in a minute and head out to pick lemons and star fruit and just enjoy being out in the yard. No snow here!

Nope, we don’t ski here in Florida. Of course, that doesn’t means those who love to ski do not live here. We just have to make our way out of paradise periodically to go to the mountains and find the good trails. I have the opportunity when I go north to see my dad each year.

One of my best friends here in the Tampa area has a sister who lives in Paris with her husband. She sure struggled with learning the language, but she raved constantly about the skiing holidays her husband would whisk her away to luxury chalets in Courchevel, France – or sometimes Meribel.

Now, apparently you can find luxury ski chalets that are much like our bed & breakfasts here in the U.S., with breakfast, diner and often even wine provided by your hosts. Hello good life! A couple of luxury skiing holidays a year seems like a more than fair trade for learning the local language.

When you have family members who are sport enthusiasts, Christmas shopping is an easy task. I always know my step-brother will like a jersey or some other goodie sporting the Bucs logo. I’m even getting my niece a little Bucs cheerleader outfit. And then there are my cousins, who share my love for hockey. Of course, we don’t cheer for the same team, but as long as we still see eye to eye on a love for the ice; all is well.

I love a good discount and I’m feeling pretty psyched about finding Hockeyoverstock.com. They carry skates and sticks and pretty much anything else a hockey player might need – as well as NHL apparel at surprisingly low prices. It’s hard to find licensed apparel at reasonable prices, so I consider this website a real find. So, I am currently up late combing through the deals on Rangers apparel for myself, Columbus Blue Jackets stuff for the cousins, and the token Lightening jersey to show my local spirit.

Most of the NHL stuff is over 50% off (a lot of it is closer to 75% off) of the regular retail price and if that’s not a good enough bargain for you, here’s a coupon code, too: ppp001107 gives you 5% off.

Swimming lessons are over for the season. Actually, I think the last session ended just a few days ago, but I did not sign up Gigi for that last hoorah. I feel like she learned quite a bit over her time in the pool with instructors and we will now hold off until this next summer.

So, now that we are in the habit of running around making sure we are at a lesson on time, it is in the cards to sign Gigi up for her next adventure – ballet.

I have done my absolute best to explain to Gigi that ballet is not all about the tutus, leotards, toe shoes and leaping around the stage. I explained she will need to spend a lot of boring time up front learning foot, hand, and arm positions. I told her it will be slow and without flourish in the beginning. She is still adamant that she wants ballet lessons. And so, I will comply.

In the meantime, I am building up her dance wardrobe. She has a leotard, tights and tutu from the last time we tried ballet lessons. She has since grown out of those things. WalMart and Target have a very small selection and the local dance specialty stores price their merchandise way too high. Just For Kix is an online store that carries a huge selection of dancewear, at prices I can stomach. Yay for online shopping.