Hey Elise // by Elise Hu

I’ll let pop culture writer Chuck Klosterman say it, because I share the sentiment. But this doesn’t mean I’m melancholy about this milestone. I feel pretty friggin’ great after the love, laughter and funfest that was Costa Rica.

“A huge chunk of my life is completely over, even though I will probably live 60 more years. There are so many things that will never happen to me again, and I never noticed when those things stopped occurring. And this does not mean I wish I had my old life back, because I like my new life better; I was just shocked to discover how much of what used to be central to my existence doesn’t even matter to me anymore.” (excerpted from Killing Yourself to Live)

TAMARINDO — Why is this trip over so quickly? What?!

I turned 30 at 9:01am CST, but instead of my expected difficulties with this milestone, I felt awesome, cause there is so much love in this house. We’re also surrounded by warmth, sun and gorgeousness so there’s nothing to get upset about.

Tonight, a few of us hiked up the steep hill on which these vacation villas sit to watch the sun disappear into the ocean. Note: It was windy.

TAMARINDO — Each morning this week, I’ve been sneaking into Terp’s room and getting really close to his face, hoping it will wake him up. (It’s not creepy at all, right?)

This morning I tried it on camera and was barely in his vicinity before he stirred.

TAMARINDO — Instead of trying to ford the estuaries this morning, we hung out by the pool at the second vacation villa, Casa Leo Loco. This vid involves people jumping off the second floor balcony into the water and trying to surf in a pool.

TAMARINDO — You are missing out on the evening shenanigans cause the cameras are not great in low light, some of the shenanigans should be censored and well, life passes you by if you’re too busy documenting everything.

So we do have a rather tame daytime boat crossing to throw in.

TAMARINDO, COSTA RICA — I should have done this yesterday but didn’t have the half hour to sit down and get the video organized. So here’s a quick intro to the awesomest pals around, who can be rallied to go to Costa Rica with a simple email solicitation.

LIBERIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT — The new airport facility was just completed about two weeks ago, we are told. It’s real shiny in there, and to maintain that gleam, a woman haphazardly sweeps nonstop for what could be all day. We were at the airport for more than an hour awaiting the arrival of a Dallas flight that carried friends Chris, Melissa, Brett and Monica. Enter this first clip we shot:

Our vacation home for 10, at night.

We’re staying at a gorgeous home atop a bluff, complete with an infinity pool and gorgeous views of the mountain and beach vistas. My blood pressure has lowered considerably since arriving. And because our group happens to include a little HD video camera, a photographer, five reporters, a blog platform creator and an internet connection, HeyElise will be hosting our vacation vlogposts all week. WOOT!

I returned from Oklahoma to find this on my desk. Who sent me this mysterious smiley-faced postcard from the Elizabeth Cady Stanton house?

Things I’ve considered:

1. Whoever addressed the card switched from normal casing to ALL CAPS for the NPR address. What gives?

2. Elizabeth Cady Stanton is a 19th century women’s rights leader. Could this have been sent by a third-wave feminist friend of mine, or just by someone who happened to visit this place and decided to send me a postcard?

3. Stanton’s house is in Seneca Falls, New York. My friend Reeve, whose handwriting could be on this postcard, was recently visiting New York. But it seems the Elizabeth Cady Stanton house wouldn’t be one of his top destinations. I think Reeve prefers Susan B. Anthony.

4. I have ruled out both friends who consistently send me postcards: Sudeep “Man of Honor” Reddy, and Dave “I Love The North Pole” Levinthal. It’s not from Dave based on handwriting and because he only vacations in places with subzero temperatures, and I ruled out Sudeep because he never addresses postcards to me, he sends them to my beagle, Saidee Hu.

Help me solve this mystery.

UPDATE: Reeve has texted to say “That postcard did not come from me.” He adds that this mystery is “creepy.”

You can recognize that back-of-head from miles away. (Photo by Brad Horn)

Big night for Newt Gingrich, as voters in South Carolina (who have correctly chosen the eventual GOP nominee since 1980) picked him by a large margin. The win has upended and extended this race, making for some fun new drama and unpredictability. He’s certainly a force of nature, the kind that gets me backin’ into walls.