Week 1: In which I feed watery beasties and become a cartoon

I just moved to Texas, and one of the fun things to do in my area is a touristy-type boardwalk, complete with bay-front views, amusement park rides, and plenty of indoor sights to beat the southern heat. One of the indoor venues is Stingray Reef, where I decided the opportunity to feed the stingrays was just too good to pass up:

You put fish between your knuckles and tuck all your fingers in...
I assume so they don't get bitten off.

I'm happy to say I did not lose any fingers. Stingray mouths tickle.

I was at the boardwalk with family, and I did one more thing I've never done before—a twofer in my first week! My mom and I had cartoon versions of ourselves drawn. My mom has had this done before, with my dad, but I haven't. The picture now hangs in my front hallway:

Even in cartoon form, my hair has gone poofy in the Texas humidity.

I almost feel like I'm cheating, doing this having just moved to an entirely new region of the country. I'm hoping 52 New will get me out and about, meeting new people and doing all sorts of new things in my Texas home!