The Young Witch takes a San Francisco Trip

Which might be easier done if I could spell the "Francisco" with out spell check, which I should be able to do since I was an English major, Communication major, Writing Center Consultant, and had to spend all my afternoons in college editing things, but what do ya know? I still can't spell.

Last week was a long one, folks. Monday, I had a service day for work to celebrate Martin Luther King Day (talked slightly about this one last week!). It's something City Year does every year to celebrate the holiday and while I enjoyed myself, I ended the day exhausted after walking around trying to get the perfect angles for things, switching lens, working on twitter with my partner for the day (Love you, Morgan!), going home, downloading all the photos, and then proceeding to go to Belly Dance only to come back home right after and go to sleep.

My favorite picture I got during the MLK Service day last week!

The rest of the week included parent teacher conferences, and mental health training, which, while triggering, was not as triggering as I thought it would be, which made it slightly better, along with a community session with my PLC where we learned, played some games, and did a fun poster making project, that I was in charge of and, in true Ariel-fashion, went overboard with. I took and cut out pictures of each PLC member, found out their favorite color so I could handwrite their names in fun fonts, and put together each poster during conferences, while Ms. Potter (my partner teacher) watched on. I was desperate for it to go well, and while it thankfully did, I was still left thinking on what I could have done better, to make it shorter, to change it up, to make it more fun.

It's safe to say, I was done with the week. I gave all my emotional energy and I was ready to take some back. So I decided I was going to take my first ever trip to San Francisco.

And it was AMAZZZIINNGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!! (Dad don't spell check me on this. I know what I wrote.)

Nanu Nanu

I got to go to my first ever Madame Toussaud's Wax museum, which was pretty neat! I got to take pictures with the likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Barack Obama, Whoopi Goldberg, and the glorious Robin Williams (I love Robin Williams). To be honest though, I think I would have had a lot more fun there, if I had gone with friends or a group. Selfies are fun, but even with a selfie stick, you can't do the fun goofy poses with the figures or the cool props that the museum provides.

Then came my true reason for visiting. The San Francisco Dungeon (DUN-dun-DUNNNNNNN). And no, beloved parents and friends who heard that phrase and thought I was going somewhere untoward when I told them my plans, stop thinking what you're thinking. It's a really cool haunted house-style, spooky show attraction going into the dark parts of San Francisco's history (perfect for my little spooky heart, who doesn't like the normal haunted attractions at Halloween). Plus, it's literally connected Madame Tussaud's, so it's a fun double attraction (and why I went to Tussaud's in the first place).

The Dungeon gives an amazing show, truly setting the scenes that you up for the scenes you're entering. You go everywhere from the ancient caves and gold mines to the haunted halls of Alcatraz. Not to mention the cast of characters you run into and encounter. I had a blast, plus it's a great way to make friends. When you freak out super easy (i.e. me), you tend to cling to the people closest to you and when they are also easily freaked out, they cling back and make you go first in to the hall where the scary man is.

Leaving had me super exhilarated and smiley. I loved every minute of my adventure in the Dungeon and even bought myself a new friend, but my adventure in San Francisco wasn't done quite yet. There was still one more place I wanted to see.

The Ghirardelli Square.

GLORYYYYYYYYYYYYY

My family is obsessed with Ghirardelli chocolate. My father will not let us buy any other type of chocolate chip because of how much we love this chocolate, and being near the original store I had to stop in and I wasn't disappointed.

There are three Ghirardelli stores in the square along with a host of other shops and restaurants. I walked into the one that said original and while there wasn't a line for the store, there was for it's ice cream parlor located in the same building (I later saw another one in the second store I went into, but less crowded there). I walked into the shop section and I was in Heaven. It was two small rooms, but they had some many different assortments and favors, I was too happy to begin wandering. I quickly found their cookbook, because I wasn't going to leave without it and my sister would never forgive me and then decided I would have some self control and just buy an assorted tin that I could keep for my own evil purposes later (I don't know what that purpose is, I just know it's later).

I quickly walked to the register to avoid more temptation knowing I could only carry so much and I really didn't want to pay for a bag (You have to pay for those out here in Cali, and I while I enjoy saving the Earth, I do enjoy the convenience of free ones). So, I made up my mind and when she offered me the bag, I said no, thank you, like a champ! I took, my teddy bear and new tin of chocolate, placed them on my book and walked over to the parlor where the line had diminished, I walked inside and quickly realized I was in danger (the meme popped into my head and I couldn't resist). I had two hands, one full, and I had to grab a menu. I reached over, grabbed in successfully, only to suddenly be called to the register.

The Lord was testing me.

I quickly walked up and ordered my two items, and made a one handed attempt to put the menu away, while I simultaneously tried to grab my wallet out of my purse. After a few moments of struggling I said, "I'll just set my stuff over here for a second, while I try to sort out my life." (I joke to dissolve tension)

The lady looked at me with a smile and says "Let me get you a bag for all of that," and as I (half-heartedly at this point) try to say don't worry, she says, "You can't be Superwoman all the time!"

I joked, quietly, "Well I can try!" But the fact was, she's right, and in all honesty, that was something I needed to hear.

I'm always down on myself. I try to overdo things to the point that I mess things up and then feel like a failure over them (I hear the yelling of therapists in the distance). I try to make sure everything I do if perfect, from my photos, to my projects, to my job, to my hobbies, and beyond that to my religion, relationships, and life. I try to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders to keep my problems to myself, and to try and take on others as well.

The Land's End sundae (the brownies were amazing)

Now, this is not the normal stuff you might be thinking about in Ghirardelli's ice cream parlor, but I have never been normal, so as I ate my delicious ice cream sundae and drank my hot chocolate (stop judging me, Donald Gene) and texted my parents about the things I was seeing, I kept thinking about what the lady had said (overthinking is fun) it kind of formulated into this lovely post here.

After I finished my lovely day in San Francisco (including realizing I locked my key in my car the entire time and having to call the insurance people to send people to save me), I went home and finished my Saturday I always do: laundry and cleaning. I had a blast, but I was glad to be home, resting, watching Sailor Moon, and feasting on Ghirardelli's Chocolate. A perfect end to a stressful week. Now to watch more Sailor Moon!