Cap'n AM~Erica Preppin' Ye Landlubbers

So anyway...

One of my favorite days is coming! One. Of. My. Favorites.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day is less than 2 days away!! Are you ready??

Well, I have shared before how I CELEBRATED TLAP DAY. Remember?

Well, as I am still preparing my own ship to set sail for a grand voyage of adventure!

As usual, Krispy Kreme is offering their free doughnut offer! But, if you dig around, you can find their pirate academy videos! But I'll save you the trouble since I found them! Bwah-hahahaha!!

Be sure to watch the Orientation, how to TALK like a pirate to get 1 free glazed doughnut, and finally how to DRESS like a pirate in order to receive a whole free dozen of glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts!

But you should take the talkin' like a pirate from the originators of TLAP day, themselves: The Pirate Guys (Ol' Chumbucket & Cap'n Slappy) as they share the "Five A's"!

(as of this posting, YouTube decided right at this moment to be having issues sharing with others, but you can look it up directly HERE)

OK...there you have it. A great start! Got it down? If not, watch it again!

However, in more disappointing news, Long John Silver's, the most PERFECT place to celebrate TLAP Day, has decided to back out of this holiday this year! BOOOO!!!! Not sure if they couldn't handle the madness last year or what, but they will have to walk the plank this year. A big fried fish plank!

In the meantime, we, here at the Seasick Crocodile, are planning our pirate-y meals & outfits.

Also, my hubby & I are getting ready to run a virtual race on Friday, too! It's the Talk Like a Pirate run I've been excited to do! So I got thinking that I could listen to pirate music & sea shanteys on my run. Cuz you know it's how I roll. I'm planning my running cosTUTUme, and I need the music to go with it! I've gotten some ideas (The Jolly Rogers, Alestorm, The Bilge Pumps, and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag soundtrack) as well as the addition of P!nk's "We've Got Scurvy" (from the Spongebob's 10th anniversary). Other than that, anyone have any suggestions? Let me know!! I'm willing to look into pirate-y songs! And you bet I'll look close to this...

The pirate-inspired cosTUTUme I threw together when I was promoting the DeFeet Hunger 5k at church
(sorry Rob for cropping you out - the orange tutu didn't fit this theme)

In the meantime, start thinking & mapping out your pirate adventure for Friday! Outfit & all!

If you want some help with food, I have been collecting food ideas for myself, and anyone else who wants to get ideas, then here's a board on my PINTREST BOARD OF PIRATE FOOD/DRINK! Hope it helps!

So...are you planning on doing anything? What do you have planned! I'm open to other ideas, people! Let's do this!!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

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UPDATE:
I've discovered that Captain Morgan is also offering up winning some swag for the best raising of a glass of Captain & Colarrrrrr! Of course, this one is for the 21-year-old+ kiddos. I think you have until September 19th...so short time.

I do wish some of these companies would be better at promoting this stuff instead of stumbling upon it...but maybe it's like a great treasure hunt. Hmmmm...

AM~Erica is Gonna Walk Out of the Darkness

So anyway...

I'm gonna do it this time. I am...I'm actually gonna do it...

This girl, right here, is going to walk out of the darkness.

I was asked to so this last year, but I could not work it.

The time is coming, and I am so moved to finally be a part of this.

If you haven't figured out by now, I have picked up running. (reminder HERE) I have even done a couple of races...with some more on the way very soon. Several of them are raising money for different charities. Most of the ones I've seen & looked into all have the donation from sent from your registration fee.

Well...I have now registered for a 5k coming up this fall. It's a walk. It's the walk Out of the Darkness. And it's a fundraiser to help with research & resources, as well as bring suicide awareness.

This is where I will need YOUR help!

On October 4th, I am walking with a team. Team SOLOS has graciously asked me to be a part of their team. Survivors Of Loved Ones to Suicide is headed up by my friend, Jenn, who lost her mother to suicide. And she has actively & beautifully been building a support system to family & friends who grieve for their loved ones due to suicide. And the stories are heartbreaking.

Jenn has been a friend of mine since high school, and who I haven't seen face-to-face since that time. And I have been so glad to have reconnected with her in the last couple of years. And she has become quite a rock for me in my own struggles.

My #SelfiePortraitProject, "Overthinking"

If you click HERE, you will get to the blog tab of my blog posts about my own struggles of depression & suicide. And it will tell you a lot as to why I have been so moved to have her ask me to be apart of this. But she knows I need it, too.

I will be in a group of thousands who have lost those they love due to suicide. That's overwhelming. And I'm sure there will be others who are in my very position, too. That's terrifying...and beautiful. It means we are fighting the fight. We are fighting the fight for the ones who will surround us who are still living in the aftermath they were dealt. They didn't ask for it. But it happened. And I will be in that atmosphere...as the failure I am. Which is a good thing, by the way...

WHEW! Geez...I'm chilled thinking about it. And I know how important it is.

I have also, very recently, come to the understanding of the beatitude, "The meek shall inherit the earth," may possibly be referring to using our weaknesses as our strength to help others with our same weakness. We just keep using our sympathetic reach from our soul to help each other out. And then prevail! Over and over and over again...

So here's where I ask for your help.

I have a personal goal of raising at least $150 BY October 4th. My team's goal is $500 overall. Anything over that is incredible & generous bonus!

If you click on the link, below, you can donate to the cause. I also have a link set up, to your right at the top of the page, that you can also use until October 4th as I continue to blog about the insanity of my life.

I want to thank you in advance for anything you can do. Especially if you are struggling with these things, or if you have lost someone to suicide...let's try to work on the research to move forward in getting rid of these suicides & the attempts, the depression & mental illness that leads to it.

Our local news station, Fox 4 KC, lost a very popular weather guy, Don Harmon, to suicide. It was a shock across the city. But the news anchors & staff continue to do stories keeping depression & suicide in the forefront of some of their newscasts, as well as doing commercial spots reminding viewers that, "You Matter."

Yes. You. You matter! Let's keep this rolling...as I work on my own journey as I continue to walk Out of the Darkness.

My #SelfiePortraitProject, "Out of the Darkness"

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

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UPDATE!!!

Due to a very generous donor who this cause has effected greatly, not only is my personal goal met...but my team goal, too!!! But don't let that deter you!! The more we can get for research & resources, the better!! I still ask for your help for the sake of the cause! Thank you!!

AM~Erica Makes a Shameless Plea

So anyway...

I'm just going to come out & say it...
YOUR VOTES ARE NEEDED!!

Not a lot of build, not a lot back story (OK...maybe some), but I am asking for your support for a good cause. And I will plead a case for it, too.

Here's the deelio:
Teen Girl's choir from #Truman is in a #ChristmasChoirCompetition (oops...creature of the hashtag habit...explain in a moment) for a local radio station, 99.7 The Point. It's a big deal, yo! It's for a $5,000 prize for the school's choral department!

After sending in a recording of a song they did for their Christmas concert, the field of high school choirs were narrowed down to a top 8...in which they made! Yea!
And after lots of text voting & hearing a clip of them singing on the radio each day, the field was narrowed to the top 4...in which they made! YEA!!!

Here's where it was getting tougher...
Not only are they drumming up the popular public vote thru texting, but they got to sing live in front of the judges! But this was no small hoop to jump thru. It was SO COLD OUT!!! Yes...they sang outside! BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

But I will tell you this choir was AMAZING! So proud of how they did!

Impressed? You should be!!

Now, beyond this performance...it's time to plead their case for your support:

1. They have made incredible strides. Their director, Kim Evans, is only in her 2nd year here. She has been amazing for this group of talented singers!

2. Truman is the only public school on the Missouri side. The others are an all boys private school (anyone in the area knows what school that is), and then two schools on in the Johnson County area. You figure this out.

3. While other schools dream of using the $5000 on big trips to far away places & brand new equipment (because they already have decent funding of sorts), Truman would love to have a budget & be able to use it for things like continuing to have concerts & cleaning their robes. Maybe even to pay for bus transportation for the regional choir competition. Funding for the arts, at Truman, continue to dwindle to move funds to a football team who can't win a game. It's a shame. The $5000 would be substantial for this choral department.

4. They kept hearing about having the best day of their lives on Wednesday. Come to find out, Wednesday morning, the $5000 will be awarded to the winning school along with the band, American Authors, to help deliver the check & to include the winning choir in their next music video. I'm serious, people!

Does this help at all? If so...here's how you can help this group of young & super talented group of singers:

1. By texting...a lot! Til your fingers hurt & your phone starts smoking! Send the word PATRIOTS to 47183. 

2. You can use #Truman on Instagram & Twitter. Oh...also...a lot. Also use #ChristmasChoirCompetition with it. (Look familiar?)

The top 2 left in the competition will be announced at 7:10 AM tomorrow morning! Hopefully #Truman will still be in the #ChristmasChoirCompetition!

Get voting, people! The judges are watching...

Please help if you can...and stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

**********

Update: 12/16/13

Thank you to all who voted & supported this fantastic group! The announcement was made this morning...and...
...the two Johnson County schools are the ones left in the top 2.

So sad & disappointed for Truman. They needed that funding. Badly. But alas...the local judges still are biased to money. You know the adage of you need money to make money? Yeah...that. Apparently.

Still very proud of how Truman's Concert Choir did. What an awesome choir they are!

But, alas, no more voting for them. *sigh*

Oh...and congrats to the other schools & stuffs.

AM~Erica Needs Your Votes

So anyway...

If you remember, I totally took part in a PHOTOGRAPHY CHALLENGE that my friend, David, hosted thru his PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS.

It was because of this challenge that I came up with A BLUE DRINK as well as finding A STRANGELY ROMANTIC SPOT. It also helped me discover & really like mint M & M's. I blame David for that one. hehe

Well...it has come time for the top 50 photos (out of over 600 submissions, by the way) to be voted on! And I am so excited to say that the voting is going on RIGHT NOW! It began today & will go thru August 24th. And...AND...? I have 2 photos included in that 50 photos being put up for the public vote! I. Am. Stoked.

OK...so here's where I need your help:

1. Click on the links (part of the photos, below). Each link will take you straight to my photos being considered.

2. Click the 'Like' button on each of those photos to make your vote official.

3. Share the pics &/or this post with others so more folks can vote.

4. Browse thru THE OTHER AMAZING PHOTOS in the gallery! Vote for any of them you like, but the photo with the most 'likes' wins the popular public vote. I would really, Really, REALLY like for this to be one of mine! (hint, hint)

So...are you ready? Click on each photo to take you to the respective link on Facebook & hit that 'Like' button on each one!

Click on photo to vote with your 'Like'

Click on photo to vote with your 'Like'

OK...GO-GO-GO!!!

Please? And...thank you for your support. *bats eyes really big*

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

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UPDATE:

Don't forget...voting goes thru THIS SATURDAY!!! I'm woefully behind on my pics' voting.

Also, there is an ALBUM OF EXTRAS that you can check out, too. I have a few featured in there. But those are not up for voting...just to enjoy.

Another AM~Erica Blog?

So anyway...

I am taking a survey this time around. Please leave a comment as to your opinion. It really is important I hear from you!

The question is:

If you were going to keep up on a blog, what would the content of the blog be?

It is an open-ended question, but I would like to hear from you! Just click the the link that says "<#> Comments", then leave your thoughts for me. If you are a Google account-holder, such as myself, you can use your username/identity; if you are not in the Google community, you can always go "Anonymous" to leave your comment, that's fine; if you are not in the Google community, and want to leave your name, just click on "Other", you can then put in your name for the post.

Oh, and just as a hint, you can e-mail this post to others by clicking on the envelope icon, next to the comment post link. I would love to get all the feedback I can.

Thanx in advance for your help.

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica