13 Days of Halloween 2014

If you know me, at all, it's no secret that Halloween is my favorite holiday.  This year I'm starting a new tradition - The 13 Days of Halloween.

Basically, the idea is that you wear a costume everyday for the 12 before Halloween, and then on Halloween day.  This year I am coordinating costumes with my little sisters.  Some of our costumes include:

• Slenderman, Jeff the Killer, and Eyeless Jack (Creepypasta characters)
• Jack, Sally, and Zero (From The Nightmare Before Christmas)
• James, Jessie, and Meowth (Pokemon's Team Rocket)
• Batman, Superman, and Spider-man (Popular superheroes) 

And, obviously, there are going to be nine more :)

Everyday during the 13 Days of Halloween I will post pictures of all three of us on my Instagram, a picture of just me here on the blog, and some reactions from people when I go out places here, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

To anyone who would like to be added to my "13 Days of Halloween 2014" list on Facebook: Comment here, email me, or send me a message on Facebook.  I will only be listing first names or nicknames.  Send in the following information:

• Name (or nickname)
• Country (No more than country is necessary, let's see if we get anyone outside the USA!)
• List of costumes for each day (Preferably in order, I will add to each blog post who dressed up as what on each day)
• How you found out about it
• If you are part of a group (If you have a group of people you're doing it with please take note.  Groups can send in information individually, but if you want to be counted as a group I will also need a Group name.)

Let's take it one step further though: a costume contest! Send in pictures for costume contest.  The best costumes win Mystery Prizes. There will be a few different categories:

1. Best coordination - For groups only, so make sure all of your group members are in the picture! This wil go to the group whose costumes go together best!

2. Scariest costume - For one person.  Obviously, this is for the scariest contest.

3. Cutest costume - For one person.  For the cutest costume!
4. Most creative costume - For one person.  Let's see how creative you all get.
5. Most fun group - For the group who has the most creative/most fun costumes! (Not necessarily the best coordinated costumes, just the most fun)

On November 1st enter your pictures if you'd like to be in the contest.  The Best coordination, and Most Fun Group contests will be held here.  The Scariest costume portion will be held on Instagram.  The Cutest costume will be on Twitter.  The Most Creative costume will be on Facebook.

Since this is the first year let's try for at least 20 individuals and groups, myself included as part of a group, though I won't enter for a prize.  Get your info sent in by October 1st to be put on the Facebook list, we start on October 19th :)

Good luck, hope to hear from you soon!

Note: You can look forward to more challenges later in the year.  I have one planned for Thanksgiving, and one for Christmas! There will not be contests along with those.

Ebola, should the USA be scared?

  In case you're wondering, I've been checking for new information on the Ebola outbreak every couple of hours for the last three days, or so.

  The short answer is - Not yet, it hasn't even left the African continent.  If it spreads to any other continent then we should worry.  That being said, US health care workers are watching, maybe even preparing, for the disease.

  The long answer (this could take a while) is a little more difficult.  First let's talk about how it spreads, and such.  Of course anybody following the outbreak will know all of this already.

• The incubation period for Ebola can vary from 2-21 days.  Two days to three weeks.
• It's not airborne, it can only be spread through contact with an infected person.
• The mortality rate is over 60%.
• After symptoms stop (if you survive) you could still be contagious for months!

   In North Carolina they just had an Ebola scare, however they released the patient who was thought to be infected, without testing.  The patient arrived in the emergency room after a trip to "a country known for high risk of infectious diseases" according to the NBC news article I just read.  They expect many more scares over the next few weeks until the virus has been controlled.
   As of July 23rd 672 have died from this outbreak, and over 1,200 have been infected.  The 24th-27th saw 122 new cases, and 57 more deaths.  As of the 27th the total is 1323 (confirmed, probable, or suspect) infected, and 729 deaths according to the WHO website.
   The peace corps are pulling 340 volunteers out of Africa.  Two have been quarantined because they came in contact with a person who later died of Ebola.  Once they are all cleared for travel they will be on their way back to the states. 
   One man, DR. Sheik Umar Khan, died after treating the infected for months.  He successfully treated over 100 patients with Ebola.  He was Sierra Leone's only specialist with Viral Hemorrhagic fevers.
   Another on his way to the USA flew from Liberia, where he was showing no symptoms, to Nigeria, where he collapsed, and later died.  59 contacts to this person were identified and are currently observed.
   The first case of this outbreak was back in February.
   Currently the CDC says there is a very low chance of it being brought to the United States.
   Major airlines are still flying people from West Africa to the US.  Only people showing possible symptoms are stopped.
   There are five known "species" in the genus ebolavirus.  The most well-known, and most common Zaire ebolavirus is thought to be the one causing the current outbreak.
   Scientists believe that Ebola can be caught from infected primates, and fruit bats.  Unfortunately for people in Africa, fruit bats are a delicacy there.  Fortunately for people in the USA, fruit bats are not usual consumed here.

   In my opinion we should all be following this outbreak ready to act.  If only people who are showing symptoms are being stopped in airports then who's to say something like what happened in Nigeria won't happen in the US?  If someone comes in contact with the virus unknowingly, boards a plane to the US the next day, and then isn't showing symptoms until 20 days after that?  We could be in trouble. 
   I have been doing research on that probability, and more about the virus in general.  I've been called a hypochondriac, and a germaphobe, but guess who's going to be laughing when the rest of you get Ebola?  Kidding, but we should all be cautious.  With school starting up in a month or so bigger groups of children mean more possibility for the spread of disease.

  So here's the short answer again - We shouldn't be worried yet, but we should keep our eyes open.

   Here's a song I found written about the disease to help warn people about it.  *WARNING, IMAGES IN VIDEO ARE DISTURBING* The pictures in this video are of people with the disease.  Not for the faint of heart, or weak stomached. 

   Over the next few days I'll continue watching the news.  I will likely post short updates on my Facebook page, though I won't put up anymore long posts like this one!

Climbing goals

The Seven Summits

For those of you who don't know, the Seven Summits refers to the highest mountain on each continent.  They are:

Mount Everest - 29,029' (8,848m) - Asia

Aconcagua - 22,838' (6,961m) - South America

Mount McKinley AKA Denali - 20,322' (6,194m) - North America

Kilimanjaro - 19,341' (5,895m) - Africa

Mount Elbrus - 18,510' (5,642m) - Europe

Mount Vinson - 16,050' (4,892m) - Antarctica

Pancak Jaya AKA Carstensz Pyramid - 16,024' (4,884m) - Australian continent

Mount Kosciuszko - 7,310' (2,228m) - Australia

The two in Australia are from different lists, some climbers try for both lists, others choose one.  I'm going to try for both, so I'll be doing both of the Australian mountains.  The Bass list is the highest mountain on the Australian mainland, while the Messner list is the highest on the Australian continent.

On mountain Everest I'll be sticking with the traditional methods of acclimatization, climb high, sleep low.  I've been considering climbing Everest solo, except hiring a Sherpa guide.  Because I'll be climbing with just one Sherpa guide I will carry the majority of my supplies, I won't have my guide climb up and down more times than I do.  It'll help me get acclimatized better, plus it'll get me climbing more (sitting still isn't my strong suit, I know that'll be the hardest part for me already).  

I'm thinking about doing them in height order, shortest to tallest.  Though I'll probably do them in season order, January-December.

The Second Seven Summits

The Second highest mountain on each continent:

K2 - 28,251' (8611m) - Asia

Ojos del Salado -22,615' (6,893m) - South America

Mount Logan - 19,551' (5,959m) - North America

Dykh-Tau - 17,077' (5,205m) - Europe

Mount Kenya - 17,057' (5,199m) - Africa 

Mount Tyree - 15,919' (4,852m) - Antarctica

Puncak Mandala - 15,617' (4,760m) - Australian continent

Mount Townsend - 7,247' (2,209m) - Australia

Only one person has ever completed the Second Seven Summits.  It took him 11 years from his first summit of the SSS, to his last.  My goals are to become the first woman to summit the SSS, and to be the fastest so far (I plan to try for a year)!

I think I might need to find a few climbing buddies to do some of them with me, the ones in Antarctica especially!

Some other climbing goals are:

Climb an active Volcano

and kind of Thru-hike the Appalachian Trail

I plan to Thru-hike the AT as part of my 7 Summits training, then I will complete the second 7 after that.