Escape to Alcatraz

So as today is Clint Eastwood’s birthday….

Happy birthday

So I thought that I would do a post that relates to him in some way…

So this adventure took place around three years ago. So you all know what that meanes, we’ve gotta go back in time…

So about three years ago I was a junior in college and getting ready to start my finals. And I’m sure there are plenty who remember how that feels. Your mood flips faster than the weather in Wyoming. From stressed out:

To sad and unsure that you even know what you are doing:

I was a part of the history club, and we decided that this was the perfect time to take a trip.

I’ve got to get out of here.

We tossed around a bunch of ideas like going to the Scottish Games, Alcatraz Night Tour, Exploratorium, Wine Tasting, Cheese Tasting, etc. Of course it took forever for everyone to decide but we finally settled on Alcatraz.

Now I have always wanted to go to Alcatraz. I have been a big fan every since the Clint Eastwood movie based on a true story, Escape from Alcatraz.

The story is about Frank Morris. He was sent to Alcatraz because he escapes every prison they put him in. They placed him in Alcatraz because it was impossible to get out of.

Not only because of all the guards, as said in the trailer, but the location. Alcatraz is in the bay of San Francisco, which if you have never been there, has freezing cold water year round. Mark Twain once said:

“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

Not to mention the coordinates of the prison has a horrible pull of the current that if you managed to try to escape by swimming, the current would keep you from going forward, and you would eventually die from hypothermia.

So the story is that Frank Morris comes up with this way to escape Alcatraz by digging a hole through the vent in his room, creating a facade to hide the digging, paper mache heads and fake bodies, and a raft. He teams up with three other guys, but unlike the movie one failed to escape through the vent because he had a pipe blocking his path, not that he was afraid. No one knows whether the three drowned or escaped. Their bodies and persons were never seen again.

But I was so jazzed to learn more about the island. Beside the Frank Morris story, Al Capone actually walked there as he was imprisoned there. How cool would it be that I was where one of the greatest gangsters was?

I mean he did horrible things, but it still is slightly cool

And to be somewhere CLINT EASTWOOD ACTUALLY SPENT TIME!!? MY FANGIRLNESS JUST EXPLODED!

Words cannot explain my excitement.

You definitely made mine!

And then of course Sam Neil when he filmed that show Alcatraz (on my to-watch list).

It was great

So I was sooo excited.

And it didn’t disappoint. The bay was beautiful, and so was Alcatraz. I didn’t know that the families of the workers lived with them on the island, so there were beautiful gardens and flowers growing.

And the complex was used for so many things. During the Civil War they kept it as fortress and military prison, Native Americans were housed there, it was used as a jail, and most recently a famous author had a show there.

It was so cool being there. So much information, and such a history. Plus the architecture was amazing.

So we were able to see the rooms of Frank Morris, the brains, and his compatriots. It was pretty cool how they kept everything the same for the tourists.

But because we were the Night Tour, things definitely took a creepy turn.

Like the hospital room. Full of these older, slightly rusty tools, and at night with a weird light. I wouldn’t want to stay long in that room.

Getting out of here

Or the Isolation Chamber?

The isolation chamber was were you were sent when you were causing trouble or if a guard hated you. You are in a small cell with nothing in it, and the day it is okay. But when it is night, it is pitch black in there and super creepy.

It was right next to the library where they were doing a lecture I wanted to attend, and that was the only way to get there so we had to pass through it. Oh man, it was scary.

Creepy!

And another kinda creepy factor? There were tons of seagulls everywhere. It felt as if I was in The Birds and they were just waiting to attack.

Not gulls but this was what it felt like.

But it was a lot of fun and even though it was spooky, I definitely recommend it to anyone.

 

For more San Francisco adventures, go to I Left My Car in San Francisco

For more stories from my everyday life, go to A Bump in the Night

In other news, as I said before today is Clint Eastwood’s birthday so I’m going to celebrate the best way I can!

Just a few of his films.

MARATHON!!!

For more Clint Eastwood, go to A Cowboy’s Christmas

Is This Really Just the Same?: Daring Chloe

Have you ever read something, watched a movie, or seen a TV show and it gives you an extreme case of deja vu?

Hasn’t this been done before?

Maybe it isn’t exactly the same storyline, but there is just enough similarity that it just keeps pushing on the front of your mind.

And that’s what Daring Chloe is.

Daring Chloe (Getaway Girls #1) by Laura Jensen Walker

So while this book isn’t exactly like it, the plot does bring to mind Emma.

So first let’s talk about the book, and then the similarities.

Chloe is about to marry her dream guy, Chris, when he breaks off the engagement right before the wedding as he realizes marriage isn’t “for him” as he has other things he wants to do first with his life.

Her friend Adam was the one who relayed the message, the one who told her all along that Chris wasn’t right for her.

You should have listened to me

Meanwhile, a very saddened Chloe doesn’t know what to do until one of her friend’s makes a suggestion. You see Chloe loves book and belongs to a book club that meets once a month to choose and discuss books. But now, instead of just reading the book, they will go on adventures too, in a way, “live” the book.

I know, awesome right!

Taking fandom to the EXTREME!

But while Chloe is trying to move over her heartbreak, it seems as if Adam is entering every facet of her life and always trying to give advice and help her, but instead reminding her more and more about Chris.

But Chloe has her faith in God, good friends, and a whole library to help her through the pain.

So now, why did this book remind me so much of Emma? Well all because of two characters, Chloe and Adam.

Nothing else of the story is really anything like Emma, except for these two’s relationship. They are good friends, although Adam is harboring a secret crush on her, (obvious to everyone except Chloe).

Also like in Emma, Adam tries to help Chloe by supporting her, but also being the one to advise or call her out on things. And Chloe, just like Emma, has a tendency to believe she is right, even when she is clearly wrong.

And just like Emma and Mr. Knightley; they eventually come together in the end. Realizing that they are perfect matches for each other.

I thought the book was okay until the end as that was predictable and a bit corny. However, the book club of reading and acting them out was inspiring. I might just do that in the future.

For more on Emma, go to Emma (1996) AKA the Kate Beckinsale Version

For more books based on Emma, go to Mr. Knightley’s Diary

For more books based on Jane Austen, go to The Dashwood Sisters Tell All: A Modern Day Novel of Jane Austen

For more Emma adaptions, go to 200 Years of Glorious Emma

We Now Return to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming

So I’m sure some of you might be wondering what happened to my posting this weekend. Was I kidnapped?

Was I attacked by Vampires?

Did I have to save the world from total destruction?

Well actually none of the above. I just had a really packed weekend and didn’t have time to do any blogging.

I had some things that I was going to work on to post while I was away doing other things, but it just didn’t work out as planned. After all, life rarely ever does.

I haven’t skipped a weekend like that in a long time.

Well I am back now and have quite a few ideas floating around just waiting to be posted.

Back to the ’80s

So you all know how much I love the ’80s, right?

What can I say? I love the movies…

The music…

I even like the fashion…

Yep, I love the ’80s.

So as I mentioned in a previous post that this is my birthday month, my friend and I had a party (as are birthdays fall near each other), and what better theme than to go back to the ’80s.

Yep we had a Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man cake…

An ’80s trivia game…

I dressed up in my Halloween costume, as a Ghostbuster

While my friend was a rocker

And we all had a totally awesome time. Man I miss the ’80s.

For more of my love of the ’80s, go to We’re in the Future: Good-bye 2015 

or She’s Still Preoccupied With 1985

Free, for Lack of a Better Word, is Good

Who likes free things?

So this month is my birthday month.

Yay!

And with that comes some free things….Like being in the Red Robin club and getting a free burger.

I of course, bought the most expensive burger I could…

Then from Raley’s I got a free cake mix…

And free cupcakes from Raley’s.

And a free BBQ sandwich from a local restaurant.

So why am I talking about this?

Because it is nice to get things for free. It is fun and I am currently doing a giveaway.

I am giving away a copy of Death Comes to Pemberly, a Jane Austen quote mug, and a Jane Austen inspired hairclip.

Enter by going to my facebook page.