Roughing It for the Weekend

Despite the constant threat of rain, the bulk of Derailed ventured to Hueston Woods State Park this weekend for our first group camping adventure. Of course, the trip also served as the perfect excuse for us to spend time in our old stomping grounds, Oxford.

We spent most of Friday night catching up, setting up shop, and sitting around the bonfire. For the first time in ages, I had absolutely no cell service or access to a computer and it was just what I needed. Quality time with some of my best friends was an amazing source of comfort for my battered heart. The s'mores might have helped a little, too.

The next afternoon, we spent a little time around the site before venturing to Oxford for lunch. First, we stopped at the new, gorgeous Armstrong Student Center. We took pictures, scoped out the dining options and meditation room, and felt insanely proud of our alma mater.

Next, we made a pitstop at Upham Arch for some kissing pictures. Sorry I'm not sorry.

We had lunch at my favorite food spot in Oxford, Mac & Joe's. For once, I actually skipped the mac & cheese bites, but the chicken tacos made up for it. Also, Eric and CJ let me have one, so win-win.

After lunch, we went back to the campsite to relax for a bit. Wheat left to cover the last home regular-season game for the Fever and Paul showed up with their adorable dog, Mattie. Then, it started to rain. Although Eric got pretty creative with the placement of some umbrellas in the trees, CJ, TJ, Tasha, and I decided to escape the rain by checking out the lodge. With its indoor and outdoor pools, downstairs bar, arcade, and activities for guests, the lodge made us really second-guess our choice to camp this year.

While playing some games at the arcade, I got a call that my awesome parents had shown up at the site to surprise me. They met us at the lodge to get my mom out of the rain, but when it stopped, we all headed back to talk and hunt for acorns. It meant the world to me that they wanted to make the drive to see me for a couple hours and it did wonders for my heart to see them, however briefly.

For dinner, we went to Krishna for my first real Indian food experience. After Tasha graciously explained the menu to me, I ordered the chicken tikka masala and a side of naan. Amazing.

We spent a couple more hours uptown, split between the outdoor patio of Skipper's and the sticky floors of Brick Street. It was a rude awakening for us when we realized we were ready to head home before the DJ even arrived. Yikes.

The next morning was spent packing up wet camping gear, eating brunch at Patterson's, and hugging each other goodbye. Fortunately, I have plans in the near future to see them all again and I'm already counting down the minutes.

Before heading back to Indy, I wanted to show Wheat the lodge the basketball arcade game. We spent more money than I care to admit on the games, then went to the Nature Center to see the amazing animals and birds indigenous to the area, including a cougar, a rattlesnake, a couple owls, and a bald eagle. My favorite animal, however, was the box turtle we moved off the road on the way to the center.

I wish so much that weekends like this would last forever. Days of kiddie pools, the perfect combination of purple and yellow flowers, jaywalking on familiar brick streets. Nights of bonfire smoke, distant music, clear star constellations, and the kind of connection that you probably won't find again. Moments like these propel me forward, no matter how rough it gets, and remind me that more happiness is to come.

Happy Thoughts Thursday

Let's face it: This week has sucked for a lot of people. So, let's flip the script and focus on the good stuff.

+ Indiana State Fair. Wheat and I ventured to the State Fair on Tuesday for some greasy food and animal-watching. After waiting in line for fried chicken and veggies and checking out the milking cows, we succeeded on both counts. There is something so gloriously Midwestern about eating a corn dog while watching cows march around. Am I right?

+ Birthday cake funnel cake. Folks, this exists. It was by far and away my personal highlight of our trip to the fair. The vanilla funnel cake covered in powdered sugar, pink frosting, and sprinkles was totally worth the wait in line and I was tempted to hop right back in line to try the gourmet red velvet one. We paired it with a fizzy cherry limeade and promptly entered taste bud heaven.

+ Camping. This weekend, I'm having a college reunion of sorts when most of Derailed reunites at Hueston Woods for some camping. I wish everyone could make it, but I'm excited to spend a little time in Oxford before the chaos of the school year. I can't wait to relax on the beach, hang out by the bonfire, and catch up with some of the best friends you could ever ask for.

+ Awesome people. Guys, I have some seriously incredible people in my life. Boyfriends who buy me deep-fried green beans with ranch. Hometown friends who send emails to check in on my mom. Best friends who pick up a blow-up mattress and firewood for me. Friends who text to say they're praying for my family and thinking of me. A sweet friend who asks what kind of baked goods I want this weekend. A brother who spends 30 minutes on the phone with his annoying big sister. Awesome blog friends (who I've never even met!) that send the most heartwarming comments and air hugs. Sometimes, when I'm trying to fall asleep, I think of these amazing people and I get so overwhelmed with love that I finally relax (after shedding a few tears). I doubt I'll ever be able to repay them for their kindness, but I'm certainly trying my hardest.

+ "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj. So unbelievably catchy. This totally gets me in the mood for some dancing this weekend. Look out, Brick Street.



Do you visit your local county or state fair every summer?
Do you need that funnel cake? Answer: Yes.
What's making YOU happy this week?

Getting Help.

Like the rest of the world, I was completely shocked and heartbroken by the loss of Robin Williams on Monday. As I pored over his impressive body of work, I kept repeating, "Oh, yeah!" as I reminded myself how many times he made me laugh, cry, and think over the years. Every person my age has a personal childhood connection with Aladdin, Hook, Jumanji, or Mrs. Doubtfire, but it wasn't until I was a little older that I truly appreciated his acting ability in serious roles. Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, and Patch Adams shook me to my core. They left me in that rare, post-cinematic stupor, that temporary paralysis that only truly meaningful movies can induce - the kind where you actually feel parts of your personality or attitude permanently shifting due to the contents of the film.

When I heard the horrible news of his passing, I was instantly upset. When I heard first mention of the word 'suicide,' I was gutted.

I didn't set out for this post, this tribute to one of everyone's favorite actors, to become a public service announcement. There are plenty of those right now, written by influential people who are far more gifted with words than myself. Still, I feel a sense of personal responsibility to say this: Depression is real.

Not only is it real, but it also knows no bounds. It affects people who seemingly have no reason to be depressed - people surrounded by supportive family and friends, people with roofs over their heads and food on the table, people with little reason to complain beyond daily traffic or annoying coworkers.

Depression isn't a choice, either. No one chooses to be miserable. No one likes to feel alone, lost, sad, frustrated, self-loathing, or worst of all, completely numb. No one decides to feel exhausted, unable to complete everyday tasks and dreading the day ahead, and no one likes to alienate those around them because of their mental state.

I've heard a few people call suicide a selfish act. I understand why they think so: Why would a person purposely put those who love them in so much pain? But I also think completely dismissing suicide, calling it a 'selfish' or 'weak' act, is selfish in its own right.

When someone decides to take their own life, they are in so much pain that they would rather die than deal with it any longer. Read that sentence again. There are people who hurt so much, so deeply that they would rather stop breathing than endure another second of that pain. They aren't doing it to harm those they love and they certainly aren't doing it for attention. Robin Williams had the attention of the entire world, whether he liked it or not.

The other sad reality about depression is that you never know who is afflicted with it. It seems to me that the most troubled individuals are rather skilled at putting on a happy face, hiding their feelings, or diverting attention from themselves. The very tough irony is that those who bring joy to others are often missing that for themselves.

In the midst of this sadness, I can't help but consider my own situation: the restless nights, the temptation to move home, the jarring absence of my desire to do anything, the countless times I've sputtered between sobs and screams, "I need help."

Though I would never consider suicide, I do need help...and that admission doesn't make me weak or selfish. Being open about my struggle is the first step I'm taking toward feeling better.

If you aren't hurting, I urge you to listen to those who are. Call friends and family at random to see how they're doing. Make sure they know you care. If they reach out to you, be there for them, even if you aren't sure what that means. Sometimes, all you can do is sit silently on the opposite end of the phone. Sometimes, that makes all the difference.

If you are hurting, I urge you to seek help, too. Be honest with yourself about how you're feeling and how you want to feel. Don't be afraid to confront your feelings head-on, no matter how upsetting. Reach out to friends and family, a psychiatrist, whoever you feel you need. With the help of others (and maybe some medicine), you have the power to ease your pain. You have the power to beat your depression. In the words of Dr. Sean Maguire, the psychologist brilliantly portrayed by Williams in Good Will Hunting, "Your move, chief."

Source

I can still ride a bike.

Saturday was our first completely free day in Indy in what felt like ages, so we took full advantage of our time and slept in until noon. Duh. Eventually, we made our way to the City Market for the first time. Most of the vendors were closed by the time we got there, so we opted with our favorite Chinese place for lunch.

After lunch, Wheat convinced me to rent bikes for the afternoon via the Pacers Bikeshare program. I was absolutely terrified that I had forgotten how to ride a bike, but the saying must be true because I was riding like the 10-year-old version of myself in no time. We rode the bikes all over the city, which proved to be a bit of a challenge because there was some kind of motorcycle meetup on the Circle. You can only keep the bikes for 30 minutes before returning them to one of the stations, so we raced from pit stop to pit stop.

Unsurprisingly, our favorite place to ride was the canal. We stopped for peach and lime Italian ice at Fresco, an adorable Italian cafe, before riding through White River State Park. While there, we ate free mango popsicles courtesy of a traveling PacSun ice cream truck. Frozen treat paradise.

After a quick ride through Mass Ave, we returned our bikes and went home to recuperate for a couple hours. Of course, we headed back to Fresco that night for some tableside s'mores. Where on earth can I buy this adorable contraption? Could this place be any cuter?

Come visit. I'll treat you to s'mores. Bribery at its finest.

I've got a nautical themed pashmina afghan.

On Thursday night, Wheat and I ventured to Cincinnati for Yelp's Summer Bucket List Bash and a cruise on BB Riverboats. As a long-time Cincinnati resident, I've been pining for years after these gorgeous riverboats that lazily make their way down the Ohio River, so when I won two spots on a dinner cruise, I was ecstatic.

We parked in Newport, checked in (and got a cute free pair of sunglasses), and boarded the four-level boat. Instantly, I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of people, vendors, and things to do. Each level offered outdoor seating with gorgeous views of the Cincinnati skyline and an interior room where the vendors and sponsors set up shop with samples and other freebies. The fourth floor, which was an entirely exposed outdoor deck, featured an awesome DJ and a massive dance floor. In other words, the whole event felt way too fancy for me to be in attendance.

It didn't take long for us to dive into the amazing food on the boat. Over the course of three hours, we sampled the following delicious foods from Cincinnati-area vendors:

- Vanilla wedding cake cupcakes from Gigi's (they also had key lime pie and chocolate fudge sundae)
- Buffalo Springfield mac & cheese from Keystone
- Pork tenderloin sliders with apple chutney sauce and saratoga chips from Benson's Catering
- Pulled pork and coleslaw from Eli's Barbeque
- Glazed twisted yeast and black forest cake donuts from Holtman's (they also had lemon)
- Filet with asparagus from Jeff Ruby
- Some kind of chips with beans and guacamole from Mazunte Taqueria
- Black raspberry gelato from Graeter's
- Lamb meatballs with tomato/zucchini romesco, charred corn, and cucumber yogurt from Meatball Kitchen (they also had chocolate-chili cupcakes)

Needless to say, we were stuffed and oh so happy when all was said and done. On various levels of the boat, there were also hair stylists doing braids for free, free massages and caricature drawings, contests for various prizes, promos for Into the Storm, and free tickets to upcoming shows at Bogart's. Again, how was I invited to this?

Despite the amazing food, my favorite part of the cruise was the beautiful vantage point of my hometown. With the sun down, the lights on the bridges and buildings are absolutely captivating. The Reds were also playing that night, so we heard the roar of the crowd and enjoyed the lights from the field and the celebratory fireworks after they sealed the victory.

When the boat docked, we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of Glier's GoettaFest in Newport. Once Wheat got over the disappointment that it wasn't a celebration of DJ David Guetta, we decided to postpone the two-hour drive home by strolling past the food booths and games, listening to some live music, and admiring my beautiful city a little longer. By the way, goetta, which is a popular breakfast sausage in Cincinnati made with pork and oats, is totally disgusting. Skip it, even if you're tempted by the goetta vending machine.

Not a bad place to be, eh?

Update: Here is an awesome video of the cruise. Thanks, Yelp!

Into a Raging Fire

As I mentioned previously, I've been a winning machine lately. All in the last two months, I've won contests that gave me the following prizes:

- Four tickets to the Cirque de la Symphonie performance by ISO
- Two tickets to the Soulshine Music & Yoga Festival
- Two tickets for dinner and a riverboat cruise with BB RiverBoats (tonight!)
- Two tickets to see Phillip Phillips at the Indiana State Fair!

So, I asked Daddles to come to Indianapolis for a night at the Indiana State Fair and some Phillip Phillips lovin'. The fair was as lovely and strange as can be expected. Since we had concert tickets, we didn't have to pay for admission. We also nabbed a free parking spot and it was $2 food night, so we filled up on ice cream, corn dogs, and the usual fair fare for super cheap.

We scoped out cheese sculptures, admired awesome figures made entirely out of cans, and waited for cows to cross before making our way to the newly renovated Coliseum for the show.

We found our seats, which were really far away (I'm not complaining - they were free!), and checked out the new arena. While waiting, we noticed Caleb Johnson, the newest winner of American Idol, hanging out downstairs. The American Idol tour played the Coliseum last night, so they must have been in town a little early.

There was no opening band, so Phillip Phillips went right on...and he was absolutely glorious. As a DMB fan, I can tell you that Phillip Phillips is basically a more mainstream, poppier version of my favorite band. His voice sounds excellent live (which I suppose I already knew from American Idol) and he's actually very funny between songs. The acoustics in the Coliseum were fantastic and I'll definitely be checking their concert schedule from now on. About halfway through the show, I snuck down into the pit to take some pictures.

I can tell you - his unreleased songs are truly better than his singles on the radio. If you haven't already, I highly suggest you check out his other music. Here was the excellent, cover-riddled setlist:

Lead On
Man on the Moon (with "Give It Away" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Raging Fire
Fly
Gone, Gone, Gone
Armless Crawler
Unpack Your Heart
Get Up Get Down
Thicket
Trigger
Where We Came From (with "Shake Ya Ass" by Mystikal)
Itsy Bitsy Spider/Hot in Herre/Let's Get It On (Nelly and Marvin Gaye covers) - My favorite!
Home

My Boy
Lollipop (Lil Wayne cover)
Lose Yourself/All I Do is Win (Eminem and DJ Khaled covers)

I wouldn't hesitate to see him again when he's in town and it's nice to know that, even after all these years, American Idol can still churn out something so right.

An escape to Nashville.

First of all, thank you so much to those of you who reached out after my emotional outburst yesterday. Your kind words and concern mean the absolute world to me and I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have people that care. xoxo Now, on to some good things...

Our whirlwind weekend trip to Nashville was just that: an absolute whirlwind. Fortunately, it was also a lot of other things - fun, tiring, a wonderful change of pace, and above all else, a great time with our friends. We stayed in a charming, little farmhouse about 15 minutes outside of the city and I absolutely loved it. Although we didn't have nearly as much time there as I would have liked, it was lovely to sit on the front porch, hear the crickets and roosters outside the window, and take a shower in something a bit more luxurious than a hotel shower. Also, our sweet hosts baked us a fresh loaf of bread and rolls for the stay!

After checking out the digs for the weekend, we headed straight downtown to see Broadway in all of its Friday night, touristy glory. We walked the street, dodging drunken bachelorette parties, catching little snippets of live bands, and deciding if they were worth the wait for a table. Ultimately, we settled on a great, cozy place called Benchmark on 2nd Avenue. The band (and the guitarist in particular) was excellent, so we settled into a corner booth, ordered drinks, and soaked in the atmosphere for a couple hours.

The next morning, it didn't take much convincing to get the crew to Pancake Pantry for breakfast. Like last time, it was completely worth the wait in line. Wheat and I split the Georgia peach and Parisienne (cooled strawberry compote) pancakes and I avoided the temptation to melt into my seat. Seriously, if you do one thing when you're in Nashville, brave the line and eat here.

After breakfast, we checked out the Parthenon before heading back downtown for a trip through the new Johnny Cash Museum.

The museum itself was entertaining. The space was a bit too small for my taste, but the content and paraphernalia was interesting. I wish they had staggered entry to the museum a little more because I felt like I couldn't really read all the information, but it was fun to see the old guitars, clothes, and other mementos from throughout his career.

We enjoyed delicious Mike's Ice Cream, admired the Cumberland River, and scoped out some ridiculously overpriced cowboy boots before heading back to our place for some dunk contests much-needed rest on the rooster farm.

That night, we checked out the trendy 12 South neighborhood for dinner. After foregoing the limited options at a cute food truck festival in Sevier Park, we decided on Edley's Bar-B-Que. I simply can't go to Tennessee without eating barbeque, so I didn't complain.

After dinner, we decided to take it easy and went to a late showing of Get On Up, the new James Brown biopic. Although the story felt a bit disjointed and I was left with a ton of unanswered questions about Brown, the movie was really entertaining and the performances were excellent, especially those from Chadwick Boseman and Nelsan Ellis. Seriously, that funk music is timeless.

...and just like that, our time in Nashville was over. I'm already planning our next trip because I can't go longer than six months without seeing the Batman building.