CURLY J’S WRAP UP

Hey everyone! I know it’s been quite a while since we last blogged. Who knew transitioning into reality would have taken so long?! We thank everyone for all the questions, well-wishes, and positive vibes. Judging by all the catastrophe in the US weather-wise, we made it out safely thanks to all of YOUR thoughts. Also, you have no idea how grateful we are to hear “every morning we sat down with some coffee and read your blogs” and even those who have said our trip inspired them to make adventures of their own!

So in attempt of a wrap-up blog before I go off to help run a sleep-away summer camp – Shameless Plug: Lindley G. Cook 4-H Camp in Stokes State Forest a.k.a. the best place on earth… contact me for details – I’ve attempted to sum up my MANY thoughts about the trip and what I’ve learned. These are very general – specifics will come out in the book!

22 Lessons Learned from the 22 Year Old

1. People should really be required to go barefoot one day a week.
2. Parents will over-do what their parents didn’t do, which will make you over-do what your parent’s didn’t do. Don’t fight the give-and-take cycle, be aware of it, and make positive changes.
3. MOVE, MOVE, MOVE! Sitting for too long in life makes your blood and lifeline turn to glue. Get your juices flowing and get out there.
4. Meditation is WAY harder than expected.
5. You CAN manufacture happiness and fun. If you fake a smile or force a laugh long enough, your body and brain will happily catch up !
6. The world is a patchwork of people. The same country can have 100 different cultures, accents, landscapes, and still be strangers to each other. Bridge the gap in any way you can.
7. Sometimes you have to agree to disagree.
8. Wear the same clothes for a week, it’s refreshing to not give a damn!
9. BE WEIRD. BE YOU. 9/10 times it’ll put a smile on someone’s face.
10. Small talk can go a long way.
11. Test your limits. Endurance of the heart is an admirable way to train.
12. SOAK UP YOUR SURROUNDINGS. Who knows when that exact moment will ever exist again? With the same people? With your same self?
13. Fighting is natural. Learn your fighting style and your partner’s or parent’s. If their style is incompatible with yours make an escape plan.
14. Don’t judge a soul by its wrappings.
15. Despite all the ugliness, we do live in a beautiful world.
16. Sometimes there’s nothing a good beer can’t fix.
17. PEOPLE NEED TO HUG MORE.
18. Family is such a loose term. Spread the love.
19. Every single person on this planet is just trying their best. Even if their “best” isn’t to your standards. Attempt compassion when it is hardest.
20. Practice what you preach.
21. Learn how to feel small. Giant animals, mountains, storms, stars, landscapes remind us to stay humble.
22. Tall, fat, short, skinny, black, white, rich, poor – there’s beauty in all walks of life. Find it.

Of course there was SO MUCH MORE LEARNED and experienced on this trip. That’s why we’re taking a year to write our book! Although we won’t be able to greet you with a blog every morning with your coffee, we will do our very best at keeping you updated with the Curly Girl’s book. We’re hoping to promote better mother-daughter relationships and share our past stories and how they tangled up and wound up popping up on our trip. I am so thankful for my mother who is incredibly strong and beyond inspirational. I could go on and on and on about how fabulous she is – but hey, we have a whole book to write. Stay tuned and thank you so much for all of your support!

Love,

Curly J

PS. It’s Mama’s birthday tomorrow 🙂

SOUTH DAKOTA!

Ba-ba-bad-bad!!!!! Ba-ba-bad-bad!!!!! Lands!!!!  (Mom, that’s not a song.)

I was soooo looking forward to visiting South Dakota. I had such fond memories of when I did summer stock at the Black Hills Playhouse a gazillion years ago.  I recall such an exciting summer of theatre, buffalo, new friends and beautiful country!!  I couldn’t wait to share it with Curly J.  Now, we had just come from Wyoming and the gorgeousness of the Great Tetons and Yellowstone.  Even the long (VERY LONG) drive across Oregon did not damper our visions from Wyoming.  So, we finally get to S.D. and our first stop was Jewel Cave. I love caves and was very excited about exploring this one.  We get to the ticket office and they tell us the elevator to the caves is broken and all tours are cancelled for the day.  Bummer!!!!!  (The first actually noted ‘bummer’ in the trip!)

So off we go to see Crazy Horse.  They charge us $11 each to enter and bombard us with everything touristy and cheeky.  I did appreciate the Native American museum/artifacts area, but everything else was just crappy tourist stuff. (It sucked.) I know I know, I sound so negative, which is unlike me, but I have officially turned into a National Park Snob!!!!  I am completely jaded after the Grand Canyon and Great Tetons, that I did not appreciate being bombarded with trinkets that are not even made here.  So we finally make it to where we can view Crazy Horse, which you can hardly make out anything…part of the full face is done.  I was not impressed.  (We are in no way belittling its cause and what it stands for – it just was not at all impressive.)

And then you can’t even hike close to it because of the blasting area, so to get close you have to pay extra to take the bus which will drive there.  Now maybe if there was some blasting or something going on I would have enjoyed it, but it was a waste of time.  Save your money.  (Seriously just google it, or stare at these pictures we’ve posted.) Julia and I did share a moment when we were making a pit stop in the restroom before we left and the bathroom was just being cleaned.  The two gentlemen cleaning it must have been around 40 and late 50’s.  Both veterans.  They were sweet and smiling and we shared a laugh about something silly.  Seems I have seen lots of vets working at the national parks and memorials.  My heart just swells a little and I wish I could take everyone’s hurt away.  Maybe they have no hurt.  Maybe I’m just feeling so grateful that they would risk their lives for me. So thank you…to all the brave men and women.  I hope our country works harder at taking care of all the vets who do come back wounded…they deserve that.  Okay, I digress…

Next stop was Mount Rushmore.  Definitely more impressive and you get to take a nice hike up lots of stairs to get close. We both enjoyed that and the museum that explained how they actually did the carvings.  Impressive.  Worth the visit.

By this time we are ready to eat.  So we find a hotel in Keystone, SD.  Very touristy little town, but lots of fun shops to look around in.  After reorganizing the car (we definitely packed too much stuff – my prediction of claustrophobia on the trip has fully revealed itself) and a quick work out, we went to search for food.  It was 9:00 p.m. so not a lot open, but we found the Red Ruby Restaurant.  A cute little country, western bar decorated with guns, animal heads and of course the waitresses had little outfits with fringe and a red garter.  The best part was the two man band playing and singing some good ole country music…some Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and original tunes.  True country redneck boys just singing their hearts out and we loved every minute of it.  (Mom did, I just support the arts.) And looking around there were all these cute older couples just tapping their feet, fingers and nodding their heads to the country tunes.  All smiling!  So cute.  Good food, good drink, good music!!  What’s not to love!!!!  (Maybe the creepy animal heads on the wall…)

The next morning we headed out to the Badlands.  They were kind of like The Petrified Forest…we were just going to drive through not expecting much and POW!!!!  We are accosted with amazing beauty!!!!  More crazy curvy roads and the gorgeous rock formations and prairies!!!  We see a field with tons of little dirt mounts and these cute little critters (they’re called prairie dogs Mom) scurrying all over the place!!!  We drive through taking lots of pics and wowing at the mountain goats just hanging out on these narrow ridges of the rock formations!!!  Finally we get to an area where we can hike.  The trail started on the rocky dry desert rocks and mountains…then winds its way through and we are in the prairie.  No one else was near us so when we stopped walking you could hear a symphony of birds chirping, frogs croaking, some kind of rattly thing (Definitely SNAKES), the wind blowing….  It was peaceful, warm (finally) and quite nice (except for the rattlesnake sounds).  We hiked for a little over an hour and finally felt that South Dakota had redeemed itself!!!  The Badlands are soooo worth the visit, but the state as a whole is not on my top 10 list.

Lots of driving to do on this leg of the journey.  We are power listening through my 12 CD set of Mike Dooley’s Infinite Possibilities which has given us so much deep stuff to talk about. (I have no choice in the matter. We have shared the front space of a car for like three weeks, there’s nowhere to run.) I’m planning on teaching some workshops when I get home….about choosing the positive things in life…love, joy, fun, adventure.  I hope some of you might want to join me. (All of you would be fools to pass on my mother’s inspiration.)

I can’t believe our Curly Adventure is coming to an end.  I miss Luke and my loved ones and clients and classes and all….but the month has really flown by.  Savoring all the last moments that we have.  Off to Wisconsin to stay a couple nights with friends.  Can’t wait!!!

I appreciate all of you following us out there…sooooo much!!  And your comments and notes mean so much to us! (Seriously, it brings me to tears the comments and notes that have been given to us. We’re happy to have brightened some mornings!)

Love,

Curly Mom

FRIZZED OUT FEARS

Oh my goodness!!!!!  We are only 2 weeks away from take-off!!!!  I am feeling soooo excited and a little scared.  But mostly excited!!!  Curly J and I decided to address these fears before we go…so separately we have made up a list (remember how much we like lists?) of our top 5 fears. Here they are:

CURLY MOM’S FEARS

1.  Letting go of the wheel.  Okay…I know that Curly J is a good driver, but I have a real hard time letting either of my kids drive my car.  We have made numerous 13 hour drives to Kentucky and I have driven almost all of them.  I do fine when anyone drives their own car…but somehow freak out when it’s mine.  Teaching the kids to drive was worse than giving birth!!!  Thankfully their dad took over most of that duty.  I would have to literally sit on my hands so I wouldn’t flail and warned them that I would be putting on my breaks and not to be alarmed.

In my defense, I never yelled at them in the car.  But I would have rather poked my eyes out than teach them to drive.  It would be impossible and unfair for me to drive all 8400 miles…I think I understand now why my mother took Valium.

2.  Will my massage clients desert me while I’m gone?  I don’t think this will happen but it would be terrible to come home and not have a practice anymore.

3.  Will I drive Curly J nuts?!!!  I realize if I do then it will make for much more interesting blogs…lol…but I really hope that we have a blast and she never once regrets going on this journey with me.  Okay…once wouldn’t be so bad.  🙂

4.  There is someone I’m going to miss a whole bunch!  (yes Luke, I’m gonna miss you too…no, really, I am!)

5.  I probably should worry about money, or Luke, or the car breaking down, or where we will be staying, or hurricanes, or getting sick, etc.  But I’m most concerned about my thighs.  I know…just love my shallow self anyway please!!!  I was determined to start this trip off in the best shape ever…and that is not happening.  BUT…I WILL have the right attitude and mind set…and not let this ruin anything.  We have a lot of hiking and stuff planned so it should all be good.  And I won’t have Luke there to make late night ice cream runs when I’ve been stressed.  So there…now you know how my frizzy crazed curly head works…I hope you still love me!!!

CURLY J FEARS

1. Disproportionally flying off my rocker and flipping out on my mother for something small and stupid. Everyone has their quirks. Everyone has their things. And I love my mother, but she has many… things. Lovely things! Beautiful things! But things nonetheless: Crooning. Lack of lyrical awareness. Dog shelter videos. Lack of directional awareness. Baby videos. Forgetting my name. Goat videos.

Here’s how I picture it going down: We’re in bumble-nowhere Wyoming and 7 hours in on a drive, on our last leg of our journey, and all I want to do is listen to The Strokes and sit in silence. Then the moment comes: she CROONS TO MY FAVORITE SONG and HAS NO IDEA WHAT THE WORDS ARE and then talks about how I should start a band over the chorus and gives me an inspirational lecture about how I should play guitar again and I FLIP-a-friggin-pancake-of-a-snappy comment back at her.

I know what you’re thinking: Inspiration lectures? From your mother? Chyea right, you got problems. But I’ve grown up with it! And one thing I learned: you must be receptive to the “can-do” attitude before really making change. And in that Wyoming moment – I might be too exhausted for it!

2. Claustrophobia. There is only so much space in a Hyundai Sante Fe.

3. Mom buying useless stuff. See Fear #2.

4. Freaking out about the future too much. I WILL FIGHT THE URGE.

5. Buffalo. And Heights. It’d be my worst nightmare if we’re teetering on the Grand Canyon and buffalo were involved somehow.

Keep it Curly!

TAKING THE PLUNGE

As a swim instructor I have witnessed, quite literally, kids take their first plunge. Some trip happily headfirst, and some need to be dunked. And once they resurface and wipe their eyes, their expressions can range from looking at me as if I’ve found the never-ending golden fountain of all fun… or I’m the devil himself thwarting their 5 year-old plans of dryness and dinner without vegetables.

Some fall into the water gracefully, others plop loudly, some want more, some cry, some laugh. Despite all of this (unless you’re one of those sexy professional divers you see on the Olympics) taking the plunge is usually, ungraceful, sudden, and with a messy splash.

It’s about taking a risk. And usually it all ends up being okay. Your instinct of shutting your mouth and holding your breath kicks in and you make out of it maybe coughing up a little bit. (For the record, Julia does not just chuck kids into the water and hope for the best!!)

One of my favorite tricks when dunking a stubborn chickadee in the water, is as soon as they come up out of the water, wide-eyed and angry at you, tearing a bit – you quickly ask them “What’s your favorite dinosaur? How old are you? What’s your favorite color?” And in a magical swoop their mood switches from fearful shock to lively babbling of themselves. They thrive in the familiarity. And a confidence. They just did it. They just went under water.

We all need to remind ourselves what our favorite dinosaur is when something scary happens (and that would not be Barney just for the record). When we unknowingly trip headfirst into something and have to swim to the surface, we should take the risk of positivity. Most of the times, it’s all going to be okay!

Going on this trip me and my momma will be taking a bunch of plunges. Sure we have a map and plans and hours and stops – but anything can happen! And it’s up to US to view that as a GOOD THING (Wheeeee!!!!! I am ready!!!).

My momma and I both started young with straight hair. She thinks maybe we’ve been whacky and risky enough throughout our lives to have gained our curls. (Not saying those fabulous straight-haired people don’t take risks – it’s just a theory!!)

Life has risks. Take the plunge. Make the swim.
Life gets hairy. Take the cut or grow it out.

You decide!

Keep it Curly & Again THANK YOU for all who have donated and followed!

Peace,

Curly Daughter

PERSPECTIVE – KEEPING IT POSITIVE

Looking back on it, yes, I looked like the hairdresser drunkenly snipped off my bangs around a bowl. The bright side: I got to ride a sweet horse. Thanks Mom.

We’re hoping to gain some perspective on this trip. Resourcefulness. A positive half-glass-full attitude.

Not that my mother already doesn’t overwhelmingly have that. She’s the type of person that if she were to be homeless out on the street with no toes and rats as her friends, she’d be complimenting the view she had. And we will in no doubt need it when our car gets a flat in bumblenowhere Idaho country, where we will be surrounded by 4,000 miles of flat nothingness, poor cellphone connection, and hungry dingos. Are dingos out there? (What do dingos look like?) Who knows what’s out there. (What is even IN Idaho?!?)

One thing I’ve learned for sure from my mother is the power of positivity. That if she can wake up at 5am singing a terrible show-tuned version of “Bringing Sexy Back” all while making coffee and a spinach omelet before she teaches 3 back to back workout classes – there is always a brightside. Or she’s just one of the nutty morning mammals you read about in National Geographic.

It’s all about angles and perspective. This past semester I’ve had more downtime than what I’m used to, dangling over the edge of unemployment and permanent nanny. But it’s for the best – since I need no attachments for this exciting upcoming trip. And the hardest thing I’ve had to do was remind myself of the positivity that I even get to GO on a trip like this. The amount of “what-am-I-doing-with-my-life” meltdowns I have could be a full-time job. And trust me, it isn’t worth the time. I know what I’m doing in the next 3 months. Let’s keep it at that.

Our generation is constantly battered with structured curriculum and statistics of unemployment and salaries and “when I was your age I was living the life” crap. And I’m lucky to have a mother that lives in lala-land 12 months out of the year. It ironically keeps me grounded.

So positivity and perspective are definitely going to be main themes of this trip. Who knows? Maybe I’ll land a record deal in Nashville, or discover my love for alligators in Texas, or decide to live off the grid in slab city, CA and get those dreadlocks I’ve always been toying with – or just go crazy and shave my head midway through the trip in an identity crisis! See? The possibilities are endless.

Are you ready for a shameless segue?

It’s really corny.

And really shameless.

You sure you’re ready?

Here we go:

It’s how you angle things, how you look through the lens of life and apply lessons learned.

BOOM!

And there’s more shame:

We would love to look through a nice lens for this trip in order to record it properly as material for our book. Click HERE to help us with our small goal of getting a proper camera for our trip! We’re looking at a refurbished Canon T5 Rebel. Make a small donation – and we’ll send you a nifty postcard from the state of your choosing!

If you want to spread the words to others the link is: http://www.gofundme.com/nuuux0

It is also in our “Help Us!” section.

Thank you, thank you, and thank you for reading if you’ve still gotten to this point.

Have any questions? Email us at curlygirlsadventures@gmail.com

Spread the word, keep it positive, and keep it curly.

THE BOOK PROPOSAL

We weren’t always curly.

So.

Everyone and their mother is writing a book. (Seriously, everyone.)

So why not me and my (lovely) mother write one too?

Yes, our corny vision and wish as a curly-headed mother-daughter duo is to go cross-country this May 2015 and write a book after our adventure. We will be primarily drawing from our experiences on the road, trapped in a car with nowhere to turn but overplayed music, language learning CDs, and sheer blunt conversation.

Focusing on topics applicable to other mother-daughter relationships, we think we have enough mojo, tears, laughter and drama to share some tangled lessons learned.

We’ll call it: “Cross-Country Curls” with an equally corny tagline like “The road less combed” or “Get tangled.” Or something wonderfully awful like that. It’s a work in progress, people.

What are some topics YOU would like to read about? Talk about?
Also, let us know any tips on publishing, copyrighting, and all that mumbo jumbo!

Stay tuned and learn later this week how you can become a small or big part of this trip!

Follow us, pass on the word, and keep it curly.

HAPPY (EARLY) BIRTHDAY MAMA!

As a warning, my mother is in the running for possibly being the most corny human being in New Jersey (still rooting for her on a National level!) But seriously, she actually drips with sap when she walks. And I, as well as her many followers, love her for it.. (most of the time).

We’ve talked about doing a blog to count down the days as well as our thoughts about our planned cross-country trip for this upcoming spring of 2015. So for her birthday this week – why not give the unicorn-loving-la-la-land-adventurous-loving–she’s-going-to-save-all-the-rescue-dogs-while-shaking-her-booty-at-zumba-sappy-compassionate- fairy mother what she wants!?

As you can see above, we are unafraid to get out of our comfort zones (or how we look doing it). The adventure bug bit us early on in our lives, but with my early college graduation this December, and my spring semester free – we figured why not? Cross country with my mother.. What’s the worst that could happen? We could write a book, relax, meet new people, build a strong mother-daughter relationship…

Or we could be in the running for a horrible reality TV show featuring:
-her inability to not dangerously flail her arms when I’m driving
-me jumping out of a moving vehicle because of her country music
-her ability to make every song on the radio into a Broadway production
(seriously, it’s a talent, she can make AC/DC sound like smooth love songs)

Anyway. I’m going to leave it at that for now.
So I guess this is how this blog thing works.
Cheers to our first blog!

Happy (early) Birthday Mama! Here’s to a future month long of madness across the country and all the months and blogs leading up to it!

Love,
Curly J