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Sunshine Girl

A thought is just a thought until it becomes an action; dream big, live bigger!

About Me

Life is an adventure. Never seems to be enough hours in the day...so many things to experience, so many choices to make.What do I love? Love bein' in a free world. Love bein' in love. Love my family and friends. Love my dog, ice cream, double skinny lattes, the ocean, and big mountains -with lots of snow! Love to ski, climb, hike, bike, and sing -to myself. I love the smell of a gentle spring rain and the sound of thunderstorms. I love the wind, but I also love the stillness of powder falling from the sky. I love solitude in the wake of loud music while driving my car to work in the morning.'Nuff said. Want more? Ask me...
Click here to check out
The Portland Hiking Meetup Group!A little slice of my life ... (photographs by me, of course): Check back for photo updates...California Sunshine in April:


And now, I finally present my amazing three day expedition around the Sawtooth Scenic Byway in Idaho:


Last spring's breathtaking Colorado Rocky Mountains... Thanks Mel, this slide show dedicated to you!



Your Element Is Water
A bit of a contradiction, you can seem both lighthearted and serious.
That's because you're good at going with the flow - but you also are deep.
Highly intuitive, you tune in to people's emotions and moods easily.
You are able to tap into deep emotional connections and connect with others.
You prefer a smooth, harmonious life - but you can navigate your way around waves.
You have a knack for getting people to get along and making life a little more peaceful. What's Your Element?
You Are An ENFP
The Inspirer
You love being around people, and you are deeply committed to your friends.
You are also unconventional, irreverant, and unimpressed by authority and rules.
Incredibly perceptive, you can usually sense if someone has hidden motives.
You use lots of colorful language and expressions. You're qutie the storyteller!
You would make an excellent entrepreneur, politician, or journalist. What's Your Personality Type?Ah, everyone loves an Ewok forest filled with magical mushrooms...from a recent excursion on the Forest Park trail system:


My Interests

Skiing, fine wine (reds only), microbrew, music -guitar in particular, rocks, hanging out with friends, dogs, psycology, philosophy, Buddism, Hawaii, Mexico, The Grand Canyon, Smith Rock, Whistler B.C., The Amazon Jungle, Chile, Denali, Valdez, Mt. Baker, Mt. Bachelor, Crystal Mountain, Willamette Pass, Anywhere Asia, Ireland, Italy, mountain biking, rock climbing, white water, trail running, poetry, yoga, environmental conservation, photography, gardening, writing, peace, love and happiness... Get Your Own! | View Slideshow
Dating & Relationship Advice
MySpace Layouts

I'd like to meet:

Real people. World travelers! I still have a whole world to see! Any recommendations?

Music:

You name it. Classical, country, rock n' roll, folk, techno...etc. Really hooked on buying movie soundtracks recently. All time favorite soundtrack is "The Grand Canyon." Recently listened to Bjork on the way home from Waldo Lake (that's for you, Jaime!), Jay-Z, Richie Spice and yes, I am a Dave Matthews junkie, and proud of it, dammit. Gimme some Salsa, add a bit Indy, a touch of "Roots Rock" and a dash of Afro-Celtic Soundsystem and I'll be dancin' like the hippies at the Country Fair!

Movies:

Check back for updates...So far in 2008: Prince Caspian; a nice follow up to the first movie, and played out pretty much to the original C.S. Lewis classic. The new Indy flick? "Ehhhhhhhh!" (Think buzzer.) It was like watching an amped up run-of-the-mill treasure hunt. Didn't we see enough of this stuff with Nicolas Cage and Owen Wilson earlier this year? Vantage Point; it received mixed reviews from the critics...it's an intellectual action flick. If you want Bruce Willis, grab your Die Hard DVD. Vantage Point is the story of a future presidential assassination from eight different viewpoints. It has the best car chase scene EVER at the end. Stop Loss was a tear jerker about the shit our American soldiers are having to process coming home after serving thier term on the front line in Iraq. 80,000 stop losses to date; so sad, and hard to swallow. Movie list for late 2007 and early 2008: Beowulf in 3-D! Angelina Jolie is always delectable, and for those of you as geeky as me about fantasy stories, this one is definitely a must-see. Other decent pastimes include The Great Debaters with Denzel Washington, (who also kicks ass in Deja Vu and American Gangster), and definitely go see Juno! It's worth every minute, and made me feel like imperfection is perfect chaos...the main character is me. Maybe that's because I became a mother so early myself, besides, I ran track and I've always been a geek anyway. Darjeeling Unlimited was just plain weird. It had it's moments, but I'm glad I saw it at the $3 venue. It trys to be too serious; the cinematic art just doesn't do much for the story itself, and the opener is annoying to sit through. The King of Scotland was an excellent story, really scary it was based on true events. It's acted well, and will hold your attention in suspense to the very last minute; a bit brutal in some parts, though, not for weak stomachs. The 2006 "blockbuster" season was fairly dismal. Nothing particularly worthy of a five star rating. Good recent sports movies on DVD include Glory Road and Coach Carter. GO SEE BLOOD DIAMOND. It will change the way you think about diamonds forever...and make you think twice about consumerism as a whole. For a decent family action flick (and a few laughs) enjoy a Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller. Definitely recommend CRASH, Pursuit of Happyness, and don't miss 300!!! Violent, yea, but not particularly gory. This movie was an excellent exploration of the male human spirit in particular, and an incredibly striking and artistic portrait of war in a cinema format. More "good sees" from 2007 include King of Scotland, Freedom Writers, Zodiac and Pride.

Television:

I guess I watch the news every once in a while, and Simpsons and King of the Hill reruns are good for an occasional chuckle, but on the whole, I don't watch television. Life's too short to spend it watching someone else's unfold.

Books:

Currently into A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and re-reading the Tao of Power. Just finished reading Eat, Pray, Love. Really inspiring, and helped me aspire to my dreams of journeying overseas in the next year. Adding to the recent list: Crimson Fire; by Holly Taylor -awesome Arthurian legend before Arthur, Addicted to Danger by Jim Wickersham, Paul Coehlo's "The Alchemist" is a must read along with handbook for realizing your Personal Legend, "Warriors of Light". Mary Bradley Zimmerman captures the tale of King Arthur's court beautifully in magical Medieval fantasy, Mists of Avalon. I also finished a recent series about a Jersey bounty hunter chick set in the eighties by Janet Evanovich. Set in the 80's, this series will have you rolling between the comedic car bombings and sexy encounters with both the light and dark side of law enforcement dudes. Also recently finished a non-fiction mountaineering biography, Solo Faces and Women Who Run, featuring a series of 20 profiles focused on female athletes (obviously runners). For anyone who loves dogs, I highly recommend 'Marley and Me' -truly, you will laugh and cry with this book. But again, only if you love dogs, otherwise you might think I'm being really cheesy. I also love children's classic literature and traditional stories. Try George MacDonald's series starting with the Princess and the Goblin. Right now, I'm finishing The North Wind. For a good spiritual lift, read Fear No Death by Thich Nhat Hanh. Recent professioal reads include Rise of the Creative Class, The Tipping Point, Start Here-Start Now, and Last Child in the Woods.

Heroes:

My Dad, for being the avid and dedicated outdoorsman he is. My mom, for overcoming her physical issues and being there when she knows I really need someone to talk to. (She also tells the best stories in my family.) My best friends, Angela and Leanna, for being the voice of reason in my life during a time of chaos, for keeping me well fed in times of lean cash, Angela, for rescuing me (how many times?) off the side of the road, to both of you for being financial and spiritual motivaters for me. RM, you gave me possibility, what more can I ask for? I'm still goin' strong on that faith... Kristin, for taking back the power of choice and hitting life at full throttle. You are cookin', lady, just hold on tight to the steering wheel. And bro, you are a financial wizard, and yeah, I'm jealous. I better be sitting on that yachat ten years from now! Julianne, wherever you are, you shaped my life for the better, thanks for giving me vision. Jen, ROCK ON travel buddy! Thanks so much for all your inspiration and neverending solidarity in our friendship. Can't wait to see you in Alaska. Jude: just keep cycling, just keep cycling...you'll be around the world in no time at all! TSH: Thanks for being the rockstar celebrity in my life -you've kept me down to earth when I really just wanted to fly away. You really are the Great 818. Lexi and Kellen, you are the most outrageous children I know. Nick, you are a beacon of hope. And Meg, without you, well, life just wouldn't be as much fun. Thanks to you, I have actually learned to smell the roses. What better gift could anyone have given me? To all of you who have so unconditionally and freely given to me your time, life and love. I am so grateful to be to be alive in your world. Never doubt it. All my love, sgm

My Blog

Gorge Games Party with Sunshine this Wednesday!

Greetings to all my friends and family skiers, mountaineers, kayakers, surfers, hikers, mountain bikers and adventurous souls! Please join me for an exciting day on the Columbia River Gorge as a Gorge...
Posted by Sunshine Girl on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:24:00 PST

Escape

ESCAPEWritten by Michelle M. EmmonsPrologue: It's the last day of work. I only get one day off a week. And even that one day, makes me feel terminally guilty for evading responsibilities. This day is ...
Posted by Sunshine Girl on Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:18:00 PST

REI Eugene Crew & The 2006 Pole, Peddle, Paddle in Bend, Oregon

  REI Eugene Crew & The 2006 Pole, Peddle, Paddle in Bend, Oregon -photos by Sunshine Girl & Chuco ThugThe pictures say it all -we definitely had fun! Crashing downhill, gasping for breat...
Posted by Sunshine Girl on Fri, 15 Sep 2006 10:04:00 PST

First Time Frustration turns to Backcountry Bliss on Crystal Mountain

First Time Frustration turns to Backcountry Bliss on Crystal MountainThis memory reminds me that anyone can accomplish great things simply by believing in oneself. It was April 4, 2003, my first ...
Posted by Sunshine Girl on Sat, 02 Sep 2006 04:13:00 PST