Sea Glass Hunting

I don't know what it is but I find hunting for sea glass all kinds of soothing. I think the waves crashing, the sun shining and the focus of the search all add to the experience.  I like being alone, canvassing the sands.

The beach down the hill from my mom's house in Carmel is especially good for hunting.

It isn't a super popular beach. It doesn't bode well for swimmers or surfers.  The sand isn't fluffy and soft. In fact it is just a bunch of little pebbles.

Bare feet are easily agitated because of its course nature.  I don't know if it is location or what but there is sea glass all over this beach.

When the light is right and the motivation to get a little sandy and maybe a little wet from the escaping tides is there you can really make it happen.

Apparently, yellow sea glass is a rare find so I was happy to come across that little gem.  I think the blue pieces are especially pretty.  The color is so soft.

Needless to say I am grateful for the small opportunities I have now and again to get out there and have some time for a little hunt. I get to find these fun little reminders of the past but also relax and take in the beauty of the world we live in.  It really is something to behold when you look at it with the right eyeballs.

Memorabilia

Wow. Nostalgia. I decided to open a box that has been in my closet for 3 years pretty much untouched, hidden behind laundry hampers.  In this box I found old pictures, documents the prove I am an Eagle Scout, my mission call to Virginia, and several drafts of a letter to a girl that never were completed. I remember sending a letter at some point, but these didn't make the cut.  As I re-read them it reminded me why I am not yet married. I am still searching for another girl to feel that way about. It just hasn't happened.

I remember this letter. I went through a lot of paper. Finally I typed it up just the way I wanted it and THEN wrote it down. She had been in London for 10 days so I didn't really talk to her at all during that time.  Plus she lived 1300 miles away.  The distance was terrible and I was totally insecure but I loved her more than anything or anyone in the whole world.

Here are some excerpts from the best unsent version of the letter.

October, 2006
Girl's Name Omitted,

"I could write a 1000 letters and not say what I want to say. I could let this pen bleed it's ink and not be able to put into perspective my thoughts, fears, hopes and feelings I have that involve you.

I have tried to write poems, texts, emails...nothing is sufficient.  I wish you were in my arms as you read these words.  I wish I could see your face, watch your reactions, look in your eyes as these words are taken in.

This, our situation, is the hardest thing I have ever endured. I would have given up days into it because it is so hard. But it is you. Anyone else, anything else, it would have been over. But it is you.  The pain in waiting, the fear that you may not feel it, the wondering, questioning...it is agony.  But it is you so I endure.  I wait, For You.  And then it happens. A text, a call, a message and all of my fear, my doubts, my anxiety, they disappear.

When we are together it doesn't get any better for me.  It is easy, fun, affectionate, romantic.  Being with you is the pinnacle.  So when we are apart I have nowhere but down.  I soon realize that the feelings we have when we are together fade.  You go back home.  You are away.  You get off work and you go home to your family.  You have your friends.  Other guys are there chasing you.  There are so many distractions in your life and I wonder if you ever think of me.  I wonder if I am a priority.

Meanwhile, I come home to no one. I don't have any real friends here yet and then I wonder if I have you. You are the focus, you are my distraction. At work, soccer, softball, socially, you are the focus.  It is so opposite for us.  So I write letters, sends texts, leave messages.  I open up and let you into my mind, my heart.  I offer my feelings to you and I wait.  Hoping that the moments come, where for a flash, I become your focus, and you call."

So These Other Blogs...

I have a couple other blogs you can take a look at if you have a little time and want to get into who I am a little more. 

A Poet of Sorts is a collection of the poems I have written over the past several years. They are in alphabetical order not chronological order as to avoid people knowing who they are about.
HEre are a couple recent ones.

Sometimes
That Man

I also have a political blog where I talk about my views and run for the Presidency in 2016. I just posted about Mitt Romney's  proposed $10,000 bet to Rick Perry.  You can find it here at Caleb Reeve for President.

So go for it. Go read a little. Enjoy.

What The Monkeys!

"I saw a banana on the ground today. A whole banana. I thought to myself, I could totally eat that banana because it comes in a protective sheath. It made me think more about bananas and conclude that they are the best fruit." -Caleb Reeve


I figure I ought to back that up with some opinion. 


1. Bananas communicate better than other fruits. For instance. Ripeness. If a banana is is green you know its not ready. If it is brown than you don't wanna eat it. Clear, straight forward, matter of fact. I love that about bananas.  See, on the other hand, oranges are pretty much orange even after they have gone bad. 
2. Banana laffy taffy is the best flavor.
3. It comes in a protective sheath. If a banana falls on the ground before you peel it you don't have to worry about it. Still good.
4. You can bake bread out of em. The best fruit bread around.
5. They have mini versions of themselves.
6. They taste good in cereal.
7. Monkeys love them.
8. People actually slip on the peels which makes them funnier than other fruits.


I mean what is this ISH when we get down to it? bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

The One.

Does the feeling of loss ever go away? After the The One got away, and the next One came along and things worked out the way it was supposed to the first time, does the pain still reside? Are there questions later? Are the memories of the First faded with time? I’m asking.

Deconstructing Crushes

Crushes are a strange thing.  I don't fully understand them.  Its like they are ethereal, ghostly; like nothing is ever SUPPOSED to happen with them even though you want it to.  (Was that the correct usage of a semi-colon?) Like, 'What the... I have a crush on that girl for some reason.'  It comes out of no where and you end up totally defenseless against it.

What I think is strange about them is there is always more to it than just being attractive.  There is always a +1.  It doesn't have to be anything huge.  Most times what sets off a crush is something subtle, almost intangible, these whimsical attributes that you just can't grasp or quantify.  Maybe being based on so little is the reason they happen so easily and often but are constantly fleeting.

I have gone through hundreds of crushes.  Some repeatedly, I will get a crush on a girl months apart but all I have to do is see her and its happens all over again.  Others it happens just for a single day and for one reason or another it just goes away.  I find it interesting that I haven't ever stopped getting them and sometimes they surprise me because of how different they are.  Some are on local ladies.  Some are famous singers, actresses, or celebrities of some kind.

The reasons for the crush are superficial and based on next to nothing.  Maybe I  like how her character on TV is written or she has awesome dimples or a sexy voice or cool hair or big eyes or maybe she is like no one you've met before and is intriguing or she's in a band or really loves her work.

With a crush I expect nothing to ever happen.  I am content with the crush.  I want to act but when I really noodle on it I realize that it is simply a crush and it will never go anywhere.

But sometimes...when it comes down to the meat of the issue, all I want is to have a crush on a girl that has a crush on me.  Maybe something would happen.

Women Crushes - Preface

1)  Let me first say that I have awesome taste in women.
2)  As I prepare to write this I don't know how I am going to do it with out sounding desperately shallow. 
3)  I don't really know how to narrow it down either.  Do I mention only famous women or the actual girls that I want to ask out?  I didn't really have any local Man Crushes.
4)  Maybe if someone decides to read this blog and comments I will go with their suggestion. Or maybe I let ask the question on Facebook and go with with The People decide....

Hair-Volution

So the title doesn't really work but the pictures start at the end of April and go to today. Sometimes when I feel like I can't control anything else in life I use my hair as a scape goat. Last year I shaved it completely bald, just to see what it was like.

I must say, people make assumptions about you when you take some liberty with style. But the control and the choice made all the styles and the fun I had with it a joy. My hair hadn't been that long since High School.






And it is back to what ever this is. I will work out the kinks as it grows.

QR Codes

Is this awesome? The answer is yes, it is. If you don't know what it is then me get you up to date. This is a QR Code. It contains information on it like a bar code. Your smart phone, with the right app, Barcode Scanner or Google Goggles, will read it and give you the option of taking you to a link. So, follow me on facebook or check out my resume. Just a snapshot away!

Facebook



Resume

Culinary Wonder Works

I like to cook. It is fun for me. I just can't afford it, my wallet or my waistline. But there are times when watching the Food Network or at the store and I get inspired to do something. More recently I have been the fortunate one to reap others harvests. A few people in my neighborhood have been grow herbs (pronounce H please when reading.) Now and again I will go poach some fresh oregano, thyme, or rosemary and make it happen.

For instance this bruschetta you see here was made with fresh basil, oregano, and thyme. The onion was from the farmers market and the tomatoes were vine ripened. The baguette was purchased when the bread was still warm. Fontinella cheese on top and mozzarella on the bottom. I hit it with a little Spanish olive oil and some balsamic. Magic.



I made this caprese salad with some fresh mozzarella, basil from a neighbor and fresh tomatoes. It is one of the best appetizers (or meals) when you do it right.



I had this salmon filet and didn't really know what to do with it. Why not some fish tacos? Why not. I had the tortillas and the avacodo, I just needed to figure out how to do the fish. I cubed it up and spiced it with a variety of spices. Paprika, Chipotle, and a little Cayenne. I had to cool it down with the sour cream but it was delish!



I love ravioli. I think it is my favorite type of pasta in the world. Actually I am sure it is. Ravioli has so much versatility. Its like a pasta version of a crepe. Lobster ravioli is right at the top of the list when it comes to ravioli stuffing. I have made my own ravioli in the past...but that was when a roommate had the kitchen aid attachment that I didn't get. wink wink. This lobster ravioli was from Costco, a fine purveyor of foods. The sauce on the other hand was a caleb exclusive. A cheesy, tomato alfredo. I have never made alfredo before so this was a bit of an experiment. It turned out great.



The fish. A rainbow trout. We caught about 50 and kept 5. I have a buddy that works at this cheese farm that has a private pond. It is up past Kamas. These guys, Gold Creek Farms, make some of the best cheese I have ever had! Check em out if you feel the need. But the pond is loaded with rainbows. Taylor Irwin caught this beast and we had to eat it. I stuffed it with some lemon, oregano, salt and lemon pepper. We wrapped it in some foil and grilled it up.


I don't have pictures for some of the other delectable meals I have made recently. There were some Talapia fajitas, butternut squash risotto, and I made my own red sauce a few weeks back. I made a lasagne out of some of it and I have one in the freezer ready to be destroyed. I am pretty sure that somewhere along the way there were a couple of batches of cookies that people would kill for.

Birthday Wishes!

***UPDATE***

I would also like a metal detector, you know, one that beeps when there is metal around. I don't want a crazy-fancy, next-gen, state-of-the-art one.
__________________________________________
I thought that maybe if I actually ask for something for my birthday there is at least a chance of getting something. We will see if this works. Below are a set of links that take you to different gifts I would like to get at some time in my life. Check it out!

Kitchen Aid Pasta Attachment

The Essentials Books from Williams-Sonoma (I have the Essentials of Roasting)

A Few T-Shirts

My lists are never very long and hardly practical or affordable, that is why they are wishes!

Check back in case I add to it! :)

Just a Random Post

I often have these random thoughts, or what I would consider random, but to you may be perfectly normal or absolutely space cadet sci-fi. But I figured that I would take a few minutes to share some of these thoughts with you. I mean, my blog is called Mental Foreplay. I should get you thinking a little bit right?

1. I often think about who the first person was to see a lobster and decide to eat it. Who in their right mind (and maybe that is the answer) would look at a lobster and think, "you know what, I bet that thing is delicious. If I boil it and dip it in melted butter I may be on to something..." What were the circumstances around that discovery? How desperate was that person? How hungry? Or was that person just an adventurous eater? And how come that didn't happen with Giraffes?

2. Here is a list of people that are just cool, Period.
* Lenny Kravitz - dude just has mad swag.
* Warren Miller - homeboy has been making ski and snowboard movies forever and he has kept it real the whole time.
* Justin Timberlake - I hat to admit it but the guy is hilarious and he brought sexy back.
* Mark Cuban - He owns the Mavs, they just won the Championship and he loves his players and his franchise.

3. Adding to the bucket list:
* Have a single that makes the Billboard charts. If its not lofty what's the point right?
* I also want to get scuba certified. That can go on my birthday post as well should you want to sponsor my scuba certification. :)

That's all I got. It felt like enough to make a post. Love you!

Girls are Dumb

So here is the deal. I see this super babe tonight at Applebee's. I caught her checking me out a couple of times, something I am totally OK with. Maybe she is looking at my ridiculous hair cut. Either way she was looking. So I get this idea in my head as follows:

Write her a note. Clever, witty, direct. "All I know is, You look like angels sing and I can do 20 push ups. ♥ Caleb" There is a picture of a stick figure doing push ups and her counting them off. Classic. PS Call me with my phone number. This note comes to her when her bill comes, already payed for. She shows it to her friends and they all giggle. I give her a nod of the head and raise my glass and smile. She smiles and returns the toast.

She gets up and sings her karaoke song with her friends. I get up and introduce myself and talk to her for just a brief moment. She is a little reserved, she says thanks and gets ready to leave with her friends. As she leaves I give the "call me' sign by poking my hand and making a phone.

Perfectly innocent and fun.

So here is my question, why isn't she ever going to call or text me? And the reason is because girls are dumb. Most girls I assume wouldn't ever call a guy if he gave them his number. Not because they don't want to call him but because it is a man's job to get her number, call and make the first move. Here is the problem with that, THAT WAS THE FIRST MOVE. Duh.

If I were to ask her for her number, she probably would have given it to me. Most girls give a guy their number, even if they don't want you to call or HOPE you don't call. Maybe he texts her a few times and she doesn't respond. Maybe he calls and leaves a message. Maybe you answer and the guy, that she doesn't even like but has her number now, asks her on a date. Maybe she lies and says something to avoid it. Or maybe she says yes even though she'd rather not. I don't know why they do that...probably because girls are dumb.

My point is, if I put in some effort to be creative, fun, unique, not creepy and you like it, call me. That's why I gave you my number. There is no shame in it. Its the right move. Ladies, take some notes. If a guy gives you his number it is because he wants you to call him if you are interested.

I understand that maybe this particular girl maybe didn't like me. I know that's not always the case and girls don't call out of principle. Don't be dumb.

Tuesday on Antigua

I woke up a bit earlier than usual because we had some business to handle. I met up with Drew, Cazzie, Robb and Jim for a quick breakfast and headed for the town to find a cab.

We jumped in a van and headed to a golf course. We all rented clubs and carts and started off. This course was pretty fun or maybe it was the company, probably both.

We basically had the place to ourselves and that's always nice when you play in a 5-some, something I have never done before.


There was a lot of elevation on these holes which provided for some lovely views.


We joked and played and rode around the course without a care in the world, including our scores. I think I beat out Jim by one stroke to win the match...though weren't really playing against each other. We played 9 holes and decided to call it quits at that point so we could meet up with the others over at Darkwood Beach.

Darkwood is a beach I visited last time I was on this island with my family in 2006. Its a gorgeous white sand, calm watered beach. The best part about it is that there aren't any people there. Well, hardly any.
The water is warm, the sand is soft and there is a little place that serves food from hot dogs to ribs. This day was particularly interesting because a man named Timmy Love, a supposed reggae star was filming a video on the beach. It was a small production, not enough to ruin the peace and tranquility of the beach. It was just enough to keep you entertained as he repeated "I am the Greatest," about a million times. I found this link to give you an idea of what we are dealing with. The video isn't out yet but when it is you can bet I will post it so you can get a better idea of where we were.

We met up with our ride back to the ship. His name was Rough Neck. This was the same driver we had back in 2006. I had talked to the cabbie that took us to the golf course and to Darkwood whether he knew Rough Neck. He did and I arranged it so Mr. Neck would come pick us up. My friends were a little hard on me for making such a big deal but it was a fun little moment for me.

Sailing out of Antigua is a beautiful thing. The island claims to have a different beach for every day of the year. As you sail away you can see many of them. We drifted off into the sea. Ate another fabulous dinner. Our server Ali figured out at some point that he should just start bringing out a few extra main dishes and extra desserts. It was the beginning of the end.

The Next Day

So I mentioned that we spent the day at Trunk bay on Easter Sunday. We spent that night at dinner talking about the good old days, rehashing stories we've told a hundred times but still tell because they are still funny and everyone has a different take on what exactly happened.

Monday we arrive in St. Maartin. This island has a French side and a Dutch side. Most people decided to go to the beach and hang out. I had different plans. I walked out the gate and found myself some suspect looking fellows that said they would take me to a place to rent a scooter. This of course is after they asked me several times if I had everything I needed to "party." So one guy yells at another guy and he runs off for a minute. He comes back in a little red car and tells me to get in. Why not? He drives me a few minutes away to a scooter/atv store where I get my rental on. I spent the day driving around the island taking in the sights and sounds and beaches that Maartin and Martin had to offer.

The first beach was right by the airport. It felt like you could jump and touch a plane that was landing. It was pretty cool. I came across a bus and while driving a scooter snapped this picture because I found it surprisingly enjoyable. (there are no train tracks on this island.)



I drove most the rest of the island at that point just checking the different roads and vistas. There were some gorgeous beaches.


I stopped at a beach on the French side called Orient Bay. It was a clothing optional beach. I found a little spot away from everyone and got into the water and shed my trunks. Let me tell you that skinny dipping in the ocean is quite liberating.


On my way back to return the scooter I crested this hill and if I had a camera other than my cell phone I would have been able to capture the beauty of this place. There was a little shack on the top of this hill right off the road where I relaxed for a few minutes and drank a Coke. This shack had 2 men "working" there. One was laying in a hammock and the other was just chilling out behind an old tattered ply wood counter top. Dudes just living with out a care.


I got back to the ship a little burned on the arms but all in all in good shape. We hit up dinner, went to a show and everyone followed me to the karaoke spot. I had expressed my intention and excitement to sing. So I submitted my song and got called up. I gave a rousing rendition of "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye. The people on this cruise ship had no idea what I was bringing to the table. As the song, progressed the crowd swelled...and swelled. I put on a show the best I could. I sang an encore song. "That's What Friends Are For" by Dion Warwick and dedicated it to the 6 married couples I was cruising with. I got the crowd really excited and they sang the chorus with me the best they could. I loved every second of it.

More to Come!

Friends and Cruises

Friendship is a strange and glorious thing. When it is right and true and real, nothing can top it. I joined up with some old friends for a 7 Day cruise around the Caribbean last week. I spent grades 6-12 with most of these guys. The roots run deep. I haven't seen some of them for 10 years.

And Yet...

I can get on a boat, sit down with these dudes, whose lives have gone 6 different directions over the last 15 years, and its like we haven't missed a step. I find it fascinating that though we haven't spent more than a handful of days together in a decade or more its like nothing has changed in our love for each other. We're just good and its great. It is simply amazing and wonderful.

There were 13 of us on this Celebrity Cruise.


Six of my best friends and their wives and me! One of the great things about the group, besides the wives all somehow being great friends, we were all perfectly fine going out as a big group or individually. It was a great dynamic.

Besides the reminiscing with each other we had a great time. How can you not when there are perfect beaches, perfect weather and delicious dinners 2 entrees at a time.

The first day we cruised into St. Thomas. Most of us took a water taxi over to St. John and visited the lovely Trunk Bay.

A place full of beautiful water and snorkeling. It was gorgeous. This is a stock photo and it was at least this nice.


I'm gonna break this vacation into pieces so I can have a better reason to blog over the next few days. So come back soon and catch up with the next few days of the cruise.

Greater Than Less Than

People sometimes ask what is your favorite...thing. I usually find myself stumped. I don't know if that is because I don't want to box myself into liking just one thing or because I like to change my mind. I have favorites, don't get me wrong. What I have more of is PREFERENCES. There are definitely things I like more than other things. If you were to give me a choice between two I can choose one. Here are a few.

BMW > Mercedes
Adidas > Nike
Baskin Robbins > Cold Stone
Cookies > Brownies
Nestle Quik > Hershey's Syrup
Crest > Colgate
Braun > Norelco
Pink Floyd > Beatles
Football > Baseball
2 Pac > Biggie
Dr. Dre > Diddy
Lord of the Rings > Harry Potter
Edward > Jacob
Aniston > Jolie
TMZ > Entertainment Tonight
My Music > Your Music
Right Ankle > Left Ankle
Southwest > Others
Costco > Sam's Club

I don't feel bad about not having a defined list of Favorites. My preferences will do just fine. And maybe, just maybe, if you give me enough preferences I will eventually find something that trups everything else and I will have a favorite. But for now I will stick to things I prefer.

Me, A Romantic?

Yeah duh. If you know me at all you know I have this giant soft side (and I'm not talking about my body.) I don't know where it came from exactly. I could take a few guesses. It could be genetic, or being the only boy growing up around 4 of the greatest sisters in the world, or maybe that I am a Gemini...I don't really know. What I do know is that I have embraced it.

I have never been one to shy away from feelings. I write poetry. (It makes Krista cry sometimes :) ) Its one of the ways I cope with my emotions, mostly loss or hope. So on this Valentine's Day I am pulling a poem out of the vault called Vows to a Queen. Its squishy and soft and about a woman I hope to meet one day.

♥A solemn vow to Thee I make eternally this day
My declaration of love to Thee, a Queen
A promise to Thee in unity
For time and all eternity
In thy absence, My Sweet
My heart will long for Thee
My eyes will feast on Thee in Thy Presence
My devotion to Thee is not only in word but deed
Through life and immortality
Thou wilt find, Thou wilt feel, and Thou wilt know
That it is Thee forever
I will cherish in my soul
Together we are Whole
My heart, my breath, my love, my life
Is Thine, my girlfriend, my fiance, my wife. ♥

Tech 2.0.1.c3

When I blog I want it to be something special, something worth reading. Not simply an update of what has been happening. That seems so redundant and uninteresting.

Technology has gotten to a point where you can catch me on any number of different media. Lets take a look at the list.

Phone/Text: You can probably find it online if you need it or don’t have it.

Blog: You’re here. But did you know I have a total of 4 blogs? Check it out!

1. Mental Foreplay - www.creeve.blogspot.com
2. A Poet of Sorts – www.creevepoems.blogspot.com
3. Caleb Reeve for President – www.presidentcalebreeve.blogspot.com
4. Caleb’s Resume – www.creeveresume.blogspot.com

Twitter: @calebreeve It also feeds to this blog on the right side of the page. This is a good way to get my daily updates and see what’s up in my life. I post on it nearly daily. So come follow me on the Twitter.

Facebook: /calebreeve You know what FB is and what it does. I don’t need to explain it to you.

Skype: CalebReeve you can video chat with me if you’d like.

Instant Messenger: I think I am on Yahoo and MSN. Probably search Caleb Reeve and you can find me.

Email: I have a couple. If you got em then lucky you! Haha.

My Space: calebreeve this is something I don’t use any more but the account is active and I check it maybe once a month.

All of this, it is overkill, no doubt about it, but it is how life is today…for some of us. Now, I don’t use Skype or Instant Messaging or MySpace for the most part. MySpace is a dead medium as far as I am concerned. IM is on FB and Skype. Skype, there really aren’t that many people I know that use it. I think it is an up and coming technology that is really cool but it isn’t utilized.

What is super crazy about life today is that there are always new ways coming along to help access and share this information and open lines of communication. My phone, the HTC G2 from T-Mobile does pretty much all of them. It can chat, get on Twitter and FB. I can take pictures/video on my phone and send it to my blog, FB, or Twitter...or all 3. Did anyone see The Office episode where Ryan creates WUPHF? Here is a link to the episode. http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/video/wuphfcom/1261100/.

Life is actually like that these days. Some people may take issue with it. I am fascinated by it and I happen to be OK with it.