Blue.

I'm blue. Just found out that someone who once called me her best friend just had a huge life event, and this is the first I'm hearing about it.

So what do do when you're blue?

Well, you know how I like a good list. So of course I will make a list:

1. make a list of things to do when I'm blue. Because I find comfort in lists.
2. watch Dirty Dancing. Because nobody puts Baby in a corner.
3. Impulse shop. Because what can be better than retail therapy. I'm suddenly obsessed with unicorns. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for my bank account) I can't find any good unicorn stuff to buy. Unicorns make me happy, but not ugly unicorns. Which seems to be the only thing people want to sell. Ugly, scary unicorns.
4. eat ice cream. Even though I am lactose intolerant, and it will make my intestine's scream at me later. And of course don't take any lactaid, because that involves getting off the couch. Even though I got off the couch to get the ice cream. I'm doing good here, I say.
5. put books on my "later" list at the library.

2011 Resolutions

I feel it is time to post some resolutions. Last year I had some very good ones. Don't ask me what they were, or whether I made any progress. I do remember that they were quite impressive and I was very proud of them. I felt very good about the direction I was taking. No clue if that direction got took. This year, we're going short and sweet. At least, for my blog goals. As last year, you don't get to see them all. Because, frankly, I've heard you are a big blabber mouth and I don't need you telling everyone.

1. Read at least a book a week.

2. Shop on the outer perimeters of the grocery store, where fresh things lie. That is not to say there will not still be eggos in my freezer.

3. Remember my friends' birthdays with (at least) a card (on time!), and shop for family birthdays at least a week in advance.

4. Get my neck fixed. This means I have to go to the danged chiropractor.

Welp. I'm stumped. I end at four.

In An Effort to Be Less Cranky

I am cranky. Not as cranky as I was earlier, but I can still feel myself festering. So I am taking Dizzle's advice and thinking about things that I am grateful for. She actually suggested a gratitude journal, which I might do, but for right now, because I don't feel like getting up off the couch, I'm going with gratitude blogging. Plus I think you need to do a gratitude journal too. See, look at me not limiting my gratefulness to the month of November!

I am grateful for...

1. Cute nieces and nephews! I was shown love in the form of stickers, tackles, hugs, fist bumps, and smiles on Thanksgiving. Too cute.

2. My cute apartment. I'm mostly unpacked. It now just qualifies as a mess. I even have pictures on the walls, thanks to Alice and children!

3. A job I love, even if I did want to squish a couple of people today. They were trying to help me, so I should not have wanted to squish them. Fortunately there was no ACTUAL squishage. And they didn't squish me, even in all my crankiness.

4. All the new things I have learned from my job. I'm a much healthier and smarter person for it.

5. Amazing friends. I heart you guys! My life would suck without you. Call me and I will sing to you about it.

6. Youtube. Where, when I have a sudden yearning for Air Supply, I can just type in "I'm All out of Love," and, voila! Hours of sing-along fun!

7. My new boots that SusieQ got me for my birthday. :) Thanks!

8. Living in Washington. Especially for living in the Seattle area. Purtiest place I've ever seen!

9. Books. I love reading them. Also, I like the smell of a library book. And I love having lots of them around me.

10. My laptop. I can talk to my friends, stalk people on MyFace, blog, compose a lovely Christmas letter, listen to music, and watch TV shows. All in one nifty device. I want to marry it.

I think ten is enough for one night. I'm going to write more specific things on a list that you don't get to see. So neener.

What to Do When You Are Fatally Ill.

I'm fatally ill again. It started with really annoying sinus headaches and swollen glands and has progressed to a cough and the waining of life from my limbs. I've been forced to my bed. It's very tragic. I think I managed to share a sufficient amount of my germs all around work before I went home today, though, so no worries. I'm a giver like that.

So I need to make a "to do" list to keep me occupied since getting up from my bed is very exhausting.

1. Watch Mamma Mia at least 5 times. Because I can. And if you think that sounds gross there is something wrong with you.
2. Watch at least one season of Law and Order: SVU. Because this is what you do when you are sick. Duh.
3. Eat my cool mint oreos. Those will nutrify me and make me all better.
4. Drink lots of herbal tea.
5. Sleep in my cozy, cozy bed with my flannel sheets.
6. Have weird dreams. I know they are coming. They will be about work, and about babies, and about Dancing Queens.
7. Take lots of Tylenol Sinus. It's that or lots and lots of head pain. I choose door A.
8. Take a veeeeeeeeeeery long shower. Possibly every few hours. Because the steam and hot water on my head will help relieve the sinus pressure. Stupid sinuses. I'm also going to rip them out of my head.
9. Drink lots and lots and lots of water. I hear that makes your body happy.
10. I hate ending on nine.
9.

I got one of those answer the list of question emails,and most of the questions were lame. So I'm only including the ones I feel like answering. Because you don't care what color my socks are.

3. What are you listening to right now? Lean on Me. For the tenth time. In the last hour. Don’t judge. It’s been a long day.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? pastry. Because I'm eating my feelings.
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Nope. Don't you feel that you have failed me by not teaching me that?
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My new favorite coworker, to tell her I hate her because she got a song stuck in my head. I don't have a blog name for her. It is yet to come. No fear, it will. It might possibly be SingingGirl. Because she's always getting songs in my head. You wish you could be as creative as me.
8. How old are you today? Um, hi, innernets, I am not telling you.
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Football or bowling. This is not including wii sports, right? Because I enjoy watching Little Man playing archery. he enjoyed shooting the arrows into... the dirt... the castle far off... the canyon....
10. What is your favorite drink? Fresh lemonade! Make me some!
12. Favorite food? Depends on the mood-- chocolate, steak, lima beans, seafood....
13. What is the last movie you watched? Emma (the new Masterpiece Theatre--2008). FABULOUS. Highly recommend it!
14. Favorite day of the year? Christmas!
15. How do you vent anger? Cleaning and running
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? Sandbox or bike
17. What is your favorite season? Whatever is currently the season
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Blueberries
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Always!
20. Who is the most likely to respond? No one! Slackers!
23. When was the last time you cried? When I found out my car was totalled. Stupid crappy drivers.
24. What is on the floor of your closet? Many things.
25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? Alice
26. What did you do last night? Sulked over my totalled car.
27. What are you most afraid of? Heights? Ugly shoes?
28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? CHEESE! with lactaid :D
29. Favorite dog breed? Mutt
30. Favorite day of the week? Friday
31. How many states have you lived in? Two
32. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds. Duh.
33. What are your favorite flowers? Roses or ones that smell pretty, or ones that look pretty, or ones people give me. Why don't you give me flowers? What is wrong with you?

Goals: A Reason to Make a List

I don't seem to have posted my New Year's Resolutions last year. I decided to make them all private and meaningful or something. I know I posted them in 2008. I feel the urge to post something this year, although you may not get the whole list. I do like a good list, and I will most likely have more resolutions than all of you combined (yes, all three of you) by the time I'm through. Here's just a smattering of my Resolutions:

1. Exercise, therefore not incurring my sister's mockery and potential wrath for requesting a heart rate monitor for Christmas and not using it. I totally have done this for three days in a row now. As I mentioned once way back when, I'm a firm believer in having unambiguous goals that you can actually reach. So instead of "exercise more" (which I suppose I've already achieved for the year), I shall say, run a ten minute mile. Shut up, stupid in shape people. Also there's more to the goal, but I'm not going to tell you now because you just got lippy. See how you vex me?

2. Spend more time with my teenagery niece and nephew. This will not be very hard, because "more" can be accomplished by one stint of quality time with either one outside of family events. Bad auntie. Also spend some more time with my little squirts. Little Brother is almost convinced it's safe to let me hold him now. I'm making some serious progress here.

3. Quit smoking. Oh... wait... hmm. Well. Check.

4. Find a new way to volunteer. Simmer down, there, Dizzle. I mean in ADDITION to Camp Fire, not instead of. Because my Camp Fire kids love me, as they should. And volunteering broadens your horizons and gives you new skills, as well as sharpening old ones. Also you can put them on your resume. I realized that last year.

5. Read the whole Book of Mormon from front to back at least once during the year. You know, instead of losing my place and starting over all the time. So I can be all religious-like and spiritual. I'm also thinking I shall read the whole Old Testament, since that's what we're studying in Sunday School. And um, just to clarify to my not Mormons, this is in addition to studying the scriptures by topic at church and stuff. I read 'em, I swear.

6. Learn more about the people I work with. Read books about mental illnesses. Learn more about addiction. Read some books on alcoholism. Read some books to understand other cultures. Phew, I need to be reading me some books. Let me know if you have recommendations.

What are your resolutions? Or are you resolution haters?

The Warm Fuzzies

Things that give me the warm fuzzies:
1. Nice notes, letters, and cards, written from the heart.
2. Kittens.
3. Babies.
4. Gifts with Meaning.
5. Chocolate.
6. Sleep.
7. When people fix things for me out of the goodness of their hearts.
8. When strangers help me when I'm stuck.
9. Thank you cards from my peeps I manage that recognize that I work hard for them.
10. Knight Rider.
11. Presents given "just because."
12. Surprises. At least good surprises.

So This is What You People Do

For two nights in a row I've gotten off work at a somewhat normal time. Early enough to watch jeopardy and maybe catch a Dr. Phil before primetime. With so much time to kill, I've had a whole new set of options for ways to spend my time open up to me. Here's some things you can do when you get home before 9:30 at night:

1. Make dinner. Apparently they have these things called grocery stores, and they don't hand you the food out the window. You have to go inside and pick out food items, and then take them home and cook them. Work-intensive, I know, but surprisingly rewarding.
2. Do dishes. I guess those cupboards are more than just decoration. You can keep dishes in them!
3. Check the mail. And it's not even midnight!
4. Take out the recycling that is slowly expanding like a paper and plastic blob under my kitchen sink.
5. Go to stores, because they are still open!

You may think that doesn't sound like a very exciting evening, but let me tell you, it was a whole new shiney world for me. And I realized that if I had a grown-up job, I could do other exciting stuff at night. Stuff like:

1. Read books. Okay, I realize I could do that at 10 at night as easily as at 7. But I would have more time to both read a book AND do other stuff.
2. Do a puzzle. Not that I own any. Or want to. But I could. I enjoy a good puzzle at the appropriate time.
3. Learn french. Je m'appelle holliberry. J'aime les cadeaux. Ou le cadeaux. Je ne sais pas, mon petit chou.
4. Do a budget. Like one of those crazy ones where you enter in everything you spend and everything you take in and then color code it and determine that you are spending too much on puzzles. Not that there's anything wrong with that, Brent.
5. Sand and repaint our end table. Because I think K is waiting for me to do that. And there it sits, in all it's wrong-shade of brown glory.
6. Knit. I've always intended to knit something.
7. Hang the shelves I got for Christmas that are sitting on my floor. It's very hard to commit to hanging something like that on the wall. What if I choose the wrong spot? Holes in the wall don't undo themselves, silly.
8. Read my scriptures, pray, meditate, and work on Being a Better Person.
9. Blog.
10. Create a new mix take. Perhaps one with the all time best stalking mix. I know you are hoping I will blog about that. Just you wait.

Of course, most of those things I could do when I get home at 9 or 9:30. But it's so late.... And yes, I could do these things in the morning, since usually I only work 8 hour days. But that requires all kinds of energy, and (and I don't know if you're aware of this) I am not a morning person.

I think this is the part where the self-help book tells me that it's all about priorities and I can do ALL those things if I make them a priority and stop lollygagging. But 9 o'clock is not 5 o'clock and things you do at 5 o'clock do not belong at 9 o'clock.

I Heart Lists!

I found a new little list/quiz to do! My life is complete!

*FOODOLOGY*
What is your salad dressing of choice? Ranch. Especially the yummy garlicky ranch at Cheesecake Factory that probably has 2000 calories in one drop, hence the yumminess.
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? The kind with good food. I won't discriminate. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Totally the same answer as the blog I found this on, but so true. Avocado. I LOVE avocado. I never knew I would grow to love it so. As a kid it was just weird and green and kind of flavorless. Come to find out, I was totally wrong. And you can put it on everything.
What are your pizza toppings of choice? The kind that make the pizza good. Again, how does one choose? I like pizzas with lots and lots of topping goodness. It does need to have sufficient cheese on it. And I DO enjoy a good white garlic sauce instead of the red sauce. I'll take it either way, though.
What do you like to put on your toast? Cinnamon and sugar or my homemade Strawberry freezer jam I made with my mommy.

*TECHNOLOGY*
What is your wallpaper on your computer? A leaf.
How many televisions are in your house? 3, but only 1 is used, and we still don't have cable, so not used much.
What color cell phone do you have? Red :)

*BIOLOGY*
Are you right-handed or left-handed? right
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? 4 wisdom teeth. That's it. Only surgery I've ever had, and it wasn't done by an oral surgeon, but by my dentist, so I don't think it counts as surgery. I can tell you all about the noises I heard.
What is the last heavy item you lifted? The stupid pop-up canopy that I carried a mile to where we lined up for the parade I staffed for work.
Have you ever been knocked unconscious? No.

*BULLCRAPOLOGY*
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No. That would give me more time to procrastinate, as I do when I have a deadline. I already find enough excuses to procrastinate. Also it would be kind of depressing.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Um, I wouldn't, because I like my name.
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1,000? Am I allowed to puke afterwards? Because it would not stay down. Also wouldn't that make you really sick or something? How big are we talking?

*DUMBOLOGY*
How many pairs of flip flops do you own? one.
Last time you had a run-in with the cops? Um, well, there was the time they took me to the drunk tank last week, and the time they came and told me and K to quiet down or they would break up our raging party....
What do you want to be when you grow up? Independently wealthy and a professional volunteer. Or a travel guide. But still independently wealthy either way.
Last person you talked to? My coworker.
Last person you hugged? Um, someone who gave a LAME hug.

FAVORITOLOGY*
Season? Whatever the current one is, usually. Although I do like having more than two hours of sunshine a day.
Holiday? You will be surprised to learn it is Christmas.
Day of the week? Friday- but only if i don't have to work the next day.
Month? December.

*CURRENTOLOGY*
Missing someone? sure.
Mood? blah.
Listening to? The clock tick in my office.
Watching? The clock, because soon my break will be over and I will be off to a meeting. Worrying about? My recruitment goal and money.

*RANDOMOLOGY*
First place you went this morning? a meeting for work.
What can you not wait to do? Go home.
What's the last movie you saw? Max Payne.
Do you smile often? No. Never. I'm a bitter, bitter girl.

Top 10 Ways to Silence a Yippy Dog

1. Give him something to chew on, like a bone, or his owners shoes, er something.

2. Introduce him to "Frogger."

3. Tranquilizer darts.

4. Lull him to sleep with the dulcet tones of my singing voice (I don't care what you say, K)

5. Give him a huge bowl of peanut butter to eat.

6. Buy him his very own muzzle.

7. Turn on Wishbone. Maybe one of his Austen ones. Because who, even an annoying little yippy dog, is not entertained by Wishbone?

8. Give him a big bowl of water.

(Just keep in mind, she's housebroken, as K's coworker assures us)
Note: the woman laughing hysterically behind the camera is K

9. Shoot him with a squirt gun.

10. Distract my neighbor while he makes his get-away. Be free, little doggy!

60 Things about Me

1. What time did you get up this morning?10:30.
2. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? I think it was Hellboy 2?
4. What do you usually have for breakfast? Breakfast? Like food before lunch? Do people still do that?
5. What is your favorite TV show? Eenie Meenie Miney Mo. Today I pick Grey's anatomy.
6. What is your middle name? Lorraine.
7. What food do you dislike? Peas. Ew.
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? I'm kind of on a break from music. I'm doing books on cd right now.
9. What kind of car do you drive? A white one.
10. Favorite Sandwich? Anything with cheese and avocado.
11. What characteristic do you despise? I despise lying liars. People lying to me make me more angry than anything
12. Favorite item of clothing? Who cares?
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation: Where would you go? Right now I would go to Hawaii. Or Paris. Oooh... or Italy...
14. Favorite brand of clothing? Esprit, totally.Are we 12?
15. Where would you retire to? Fife. I saw some cute houses in Fife today.
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? Either my last one where my nice friends had my picture of the Eiffel Tower framed for me, or my 19th, when my roommates flew me home from school for Thanksgiving.
17. Favorite sport to watch? Football or baseball- it's best if I'm there. I pay most attention to football of any sport I've tried to watch on tv. Although watching bowling on tv can be fun.
18. Furthest place you are sending this? Utah? I don't think anyone further than Utah reads this....
19. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? They always ask this question. I'm tired of answering it. So instead I'm going to tell you I'm watching the Rescuers right now. Remember Miss Bianca? "R-E-S-C-U-E, Rescue Aid Society!"
20. Person you expect to send it back first? Also, I am thinking about going to get a piece of pie. There's apple pie sitting on my counter. A whole yummy pie for two dollars!
21. Your birthday? December 6 (have you started shopping?)
22. Are you a morning or night person? Night person. All you morning people are crazy.
23. What is your shoe size? 9
24. Pets? Um, entirely too much responsibility involved there.
25. What did you want to be when you were little? A teacher. Or a writer.
26. Any new and exciting news you would like to share with us? I get a two week vacation at Christmas.
27. How do you feel today? Great, except I have to go back to work tomorrow and I need another day off.
28. What is your favorite candy? Chocolate. Peanuts are good with them, but not fruit. Fruit in candy is just silly. It's like trying to sneak in something healthy to your dessert. Dessert is not healthy. Then it would be Desert. er something.
29. What is your favorite flower? Roses- you should buy me some.
30. What is the day on the calendar you're looking forward to? My birthday when you buy me roses and give me a present.
31. What is your full name? Well, according to Goober from college, it's Holliberry Sucks-to-be-you Guttersnipe.
32. What are you listening to right now? The Rescuers, wtih commentary by K.
33. What was the last thing you ate? Roast chicken, stuffing, and acorn squash. My mommy made me dinner.
35. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Either grey or fire engine red. Depending on the moment.
36. How is the weather right now? Dark. Stupid daylight savings time. Stupid Fall.
37. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My mom, to see what time dinner was.
38. Favorite soft drink?I think it's Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash. Which I just googled and it sounds like it might be seasonal. So dumb. Never thought I would love anything that said "cranberry" on it. Totally stocking up if it's seasonal.
39. Favorite Restaurant? Chipotle. Or Red Robin. Or Cheesecake Factory. Or... how do people have just one?
40. Hair Color? Purple.
41. What was your favorite toy as a child? My bike, or my sandbox, or my swingset... or my blocks... or my playdough....
42. Summer or winter? Summer
43. Hugs or kisses? Kisses
44. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate. Duh.
45. Coffee or Tea? Hot cocoa
46. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Yes, you should all email me back, all you friends I am emailing.
47. When was the last time you cried? Um, if you don't know that, you don't get to know that. You should call me more.
48. What is under you bed? Wrapping paper, pottery, and books (Rory Gilmore style)
50. How many keys on your key ring? Seven. I'm cutting back.
51. How many years at your current job? Eight
52. Favorite day of the week? Friday and Saturday
53. How many towns have you lived in? Three
54. Do you make friends easily? Sometimes.
55. How many people will you send this to? One plus my blog. So, two. :)
56. How many will respond?20
57. Who do you want for President? No clue. I should really pay attention to that soon.
58. Do you like getting old? Yes, it's loads of fun.
59. What physical feature do you like about yourself the most? My stunning beauty.
60. What physical part of your body would you like to change the most? My metabolism. I would like one that allows me to eat utter crap and not get chubby.

You know you want to email me your list.

Things to Do While You Pretend Your Friend Didn't Stand You Up

I'm not bitter.

1. Play Sims. Manage to offend little Fake Troy, your Fake Boyfriend, who you are trying to get to be your fake fiance, so you can be fake married, and have fake kids, before you become fake old. I'm really gifted at making Fake Troy hate me. Also at having mental breakdowns from lack of fun and sleep, and ignoring all my party guests.
2. Ponder how K made our fridge stop smelling like poo.
3. Call other friends besides the stand-upper so that you can reassure yourself that EVERYONE is too busy except you.
4. Start the dishwasher when you realize that there are no knives, and that while the fork worked this time for slicking the bread, it might not work next time
5. Watch Samantha Who.

Meanwhile, this is what stander-upper was doing. (Warning: One profane moment)

44 Things About Me

Sweet! A list! Thanks to my freshman college roomie Alicia for sending this along. I needed a good list.

1. Do you like blue cheese: sometimes, and more as the years go by.
2. Have you ever smoked: never
3. Do you own a gun: no
4. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite: Red
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments: It depends on what they are going to do to me.
6. What do you think of hot dogs: I like the kosher ones because they have the "good" meat. From time to time a good hot dog can really hit the spot. But with mustard, not ketchup.
7. Favorite Christmas movie: "White Christmas" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning: water
9. Can you do push ups: Why would I do that?
10. Favorite piece of jewelry: That would imply I remember to put it on.
11. Favorite hobby: pottery and picture taking
12: Do you have A.D.D.: no... wait, what was the question?
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself: My habit of leaving my headlights on.
14. Middle name: Lorraine
15. What are you doing at this exact moment: Driving in my car.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink: water, rootbeer... there is not a third.
17. Current worry: Moving.
18. Something you hate right now: people who complain.
19. Something you love right now: camp
20. How did you ring in the New Year: dancing with all the little Mormons
21. Where would you like to go: Europe. The whole continent.
22. Three people who will complete this: None of you slackers. (I dare you to post the whole things in the comment section... I wonder if you could get it to accept that many words.)
23. Do you own slippers: yes, but do I wear them? No.
24. What shirt are you wearing right now: My gray shirt with a purple cami.
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets: I am happy with my flannel sheets.
26. Can you whistle: Yes
27. Favorite color: red.
28. Would you be a pirate: Sure.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower:Sing in the shower? That's just goofy.
30. Favorite Girl's Name: Lily, Esther, Daisy, Vivian
31. Favorite boy's name: Luke or Isaac (bible names... not stalking old high school friends names...)
32. What's in your pocket right now: change and Captain Dante's Subway sandwich order.
33. Last thing that made you laugh: Hairspray... started watching the new one last night.
34. Best bed sheets as a child: I don't recall my sheets, but I did have a Strawberry Shortcake bedspread.
35. Worst injury you ever had: Sprained my ankle so badly they thought it was broken when they admitted me to the ER.
36. Do you love where you live: Love the state, could do without the city, and the apartment I love but we will be parting ways in August. The new place should be good, though.
37. How many TV's do you have in your house: 3? I'm not sure what my roommates have in their room...
39. Do you prefer staying at home or going out: Staying home, or being out in nature, but never going out in large groups, because that is just too much drama and expended energy.
40. Does someone have a crush on you: Everyone does. I can't help it. I have that effect on people.
41. What is your favorite book: Pride and Prejudice, which I have loved since I was 14, before it became trendy.
42. What is your favorite movie: Much Ado About Nothing, Muppets from Space, and Pride and Prejudice (the miniseries, because the other one is pretty but has nothing to do with the book.)
43. Favorite Sports Team: Mariners and BYU Cougars. Winning is so over rated.
44 . What song do you want played at your funeral: Mm Nah Mm Nah? Or Where Can I Turn for Peace. Or Poor Wayfaring Man. Stuff from the hymn book. None of these "trendy" Mormon songs.

On that happy note...

And By Kick it I Don't Mean Hang Out

I have a friend who always used to say "kick it," as in, "we can just kick it here and watch a movie if you want." When I say kick it, I'm referring to the bucket. I'm a terribly unhip individual.


As previously mentioned, I am putting together my list of things to do before I kick the bucket. Some of the things I thought of actually harken back to my "I Never" post:


1. Ride a horse.
2. Fly a kite (up to the highest heights...).
3. Learn to ski.
4. Swim for enjoyment. You know, instead of feeling sheer terror that I will certainly drown in four feet of water.
5. Go to Disneyland.
6. Go to Hawaii.


The "I never" topic that didn't get added to my list of things to do before I die was "break a bone." I"m okay with not having that experience. I'm sure I'll manage it at some point, though.


Also on my list:

7. Visit Italy, Greece, Ireland, Scottland, Australia, and New Zealand.
8. Revisit and further visit France, England, and Germany.
9. Own a cute house.
10. Take a cruise.
11. Take a photography class.
12. Attend the Olympics.
13. Sit on a jury.
14. Spend New Year's in an exotic location.
15. Have a porch swing.
16. Have a library in my cute house that is covered in books.

And the list goes on...

Things to Do Before I Kick It

While browsing movies on Netflix, I came across The Bucket List, with Jack Nicholas. I am not a huge fan of Jack, so I've really had no desire to watch it. But after reading the description I've been contemplating the concept on which the movie is based. As I understand it, the whole movie is about how one of them is dying and he has a list of things to do before he kicks the bucket. I know it's more complicated than that, but that's the part I care about.

I googled the movie to learn more because I didn't feel like the description was telling me what i wanted to know about it, and I found an interesting pattern. There are all these websites cropping up where you can have your own little profile, and have your own list of things you want to do before you die. I'm not sure if they recognize the movie, or even if they started as a result of that movie, but I found them through an article about the movie. They all require you to join, even if they are free, and you get to create a profile, blah, blah, blah. (Topic for another blog: How many profiles on various random websites with all kinds of odd angles can a person create without going insane?)

I really don't have any interest in joining any of these websites. Some of the goals they showed on their home pages as samples I found very annoying. Apparently no one explained to these people that if you say something like "eat healthy," it's very hard to determine when you have reached the goal. You should say "eat 5 vegies a day," or "cut out sugar from my diet," or "I'm one of those nuts that thinks I can cut ALL carbs from my diet." To have a goal to "volunteer" before you die is kind of silly. You could pick up trash in a park for half an hour and technically have completed that goal. That wouldn't be so meaningful but you would have completed it. You need to put "volunteer at the food bank at least 4 hours a month for the next year." That you could measure. Or even to say "become an active volunteer for Camp Fire USA and win an award for it" would be measurable, even though "active" is kind of an ambiguous term.

So I am now working on a bucket list, which I will post. My goals will be be worded in such a way you will know when I have accomplished it. So, nice three people that post on my blog, what's on your bucket list?

(Ooh, ooh, first on my bucket list is to get a lurker to post. A lurker, for you blog challenged individuals, is someone who reads my blog who I don't know is reading because they never say a peep. You should peep.)

This Calls for a Celebration

I was just thinking about Christmas. It is, after all, only a little over six months away. I'm debating how early is too early to get out the Kermit Christmas ornament and the Peanut's Christmas CD, not to mention watch White Christmas. Since I think possibly June is too early, my mind turned to summer stuff. What do you break out to listen to, to decorate with, and to watch for the summer? I thought perhaps the sun might be a good thing to lead the way in breaking out here in Seattle, but that's just crazy talk.

So what does one listen to in celebration of the summer? Sometimes I pick obvious and listen to songs that mention the word "sun" or how the day is beautiful. So:
1. "Soak Up the Sun"
2. "I'm Walkin' on Sunshine (whoa-oh)"
3. "Here Comes the Sun"
4. "It's a Beautiful Day"
5. "You are My Sunshine"
6. "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" (out came the sun and dried up all the rain!)

But really I've been finding that Jack Johnson's music is good summer music. Not that it's not good music for the winter. But hearing him makes me want to go to Hawaii. I bet they have sun in Hawaii. We, on the other hand, are good and green.

Thinking of summer movies is a little bit harder for me, for some reason. Possibly because I have never needed an occasion to watch a movie, and I am always in the mood for a movie. So I'm just going to make a list up. Movies I need to watch in honor of summer. So here's my list:

1. Wizard of Oz. Because there is singing and shiny red shoes. It totally goes with summer.
2. Singin' in the Rain. In honor of summer in Seattle
3. Raiders of the Lost Ark, and all the other Indy movies. Adventures sound more fun in the summer.
4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Doesn't a Quest sound so much more lovely when the sun is shining?
5. Princess Bride. Because a tumble down a steep hill sounds nice when the sun is out.
6. Parent Trap. They go to a summer camp. And there is whistling. And it was there that I learned for the first time how to repel bears. Or mountain lions. One of those.
7. Troop Beverly Hills. They hike in that movie. Also they stage a concert to sell cookies. They're so spunky.
8. Annie. The sun'll come out tomorrow!
9. Dirty Dancing. They were at a summer resort! Nobody puts baby in the corner.
10. Beaches. For when you feel like a depressing jaunt on the boardwalk.

So my only question is how do I decorate for summer? Opening the blinds is a good start. Sometimes I forget to do that in the winter.

Perfect Saturday, Take One

My perfect Saturday might be as follows:

1. Sleep in until about 10am
2. Come downstairs to find that someone has made me waffles and sausage. Have a leisurely brunch.
3. Take a Leisurely shower.
4. Go shopping and find the perfect dress/skirt/shirt/coat/other article of clothing for a super good price.
5. Go see a movie with someone like Colin Firth or Patrick Dempsey in it
6. Go for a game of bowling with my very own bowling ball and my shiny purple shoes
7. Go for dinner at a yummy seafood restaurant in Seattle
8. Walk along the pier with dinner companion, and enjoy the clear evening sky and the warm breeze. Have stimulating conversation.
9. Return home and take a lovely long bath in the bathtub that will be in my dream house, while I read a nice piece of riveting literature.
10. Get into my comfy jammies and climb into my comfy bed with flannel sheets and watch Gilmore Girls, or Veronica Mars, or the newest episode of Grey's Anatomy (oh, the candles!) or Pushing Daisies.

What I Did on My Memorial Day Weekend Vacation

So just like kids have to write a report on what they did on their summer vacation (except, did any of you ever have to write one of those? Because I never did), I'm writing a report on my weekend vacation. It's the closest thing I've had to a vacation in a while. So I resolved to do the following things:

1. Sleep.
Check and check.
2. Watch at least one of my Jane Austen movies that I have saved on my dvr.
That would be a check and a half. I watched Miss Austen Regrets, as noted above, and also the first half of Sense and Sensibility. Not while about the former, but the latter is promising so far.
3. Finish watching Don Juan de Marco with Jonny Depp (he's in it, not coming to watch it with me).
Do NOT rent this movie. Unless you think you will find satisfaction in a movie about a man who slept with 1500 women schooling an older man in the fine art of romance, inspiring him to nurture his relationship with his wife. Because nothing says True Romance like having 1500 different lovers.
4. Reorganize my closet.
Half a check. I might possibly finish it tonight, but don't hold your breath.
5. Sort through my cd's and figure out why I own so many and how to rectify that situation. Done!
6. Figure out how to make my computer talk to Word for reals.
Done! For 60 days of trial, at least.
7. Clean my bathroom.
Not done. Just don't look in there. You don't want to know.
8. Clean my food cupboards out in the kitchen so I can possibly find something.
Totally not done. In fact I think I made it worse. I know there is food in there somewhere....
9. Get a pedicure.
Done! So pretty. I have pretty, pretty little toes.
10. Balance my checkbook.
I'm halfway there. Which makes me want to start singing Bon Jovi songs.

Now if only I didn't have to go to a three hour meeting tomorrow morning....

I'm Free! (sort of)

So I have a four day weekend. Sort of. I don't have to work for four days. Mostly. Okay, okay, I couldn't quite keep a whole weekend free and I scheduled one itty bitty meeting Saturday morning. But it's with one of my friends from high school and some other fun people. Also I think there will be food there. Oh, and I am also going to a play tomorrow to see a couple of my high school kids, one of which has one of the lead roles.

But mostly I have four whole days to do whatever I want. Oh, I have pottery for two hours on Saturday. And of course Sunday is all about church. And my nephew had the audacity to turn 14, so I have to go get him a gift sometime before Sunday and there's the birthday dinner Sunday night.

So what, you ask, will I do with these four free days I have?

I resolve to do the following:
1. Sleep
2. Watch at least one of my Jane Austen movies that I have saved on my dvr.
3. Finish watching Don Juan de Marco with Jonny Depp (he's in it, not coming to watch it with me).
4. Reorganize my closet.
5. Sort through my cd's and figure out why I own so many and how to rectify that situation.
6. Figure out how to make my computer talk to Word for reals.
7. Clean my bathroom.
8. Clean my food cupboards out in the kitchen so I can possibly find something.
9. Get a pedicure.
10. Balance my checkbook.

I bet you wish you could be as free as I am.

Give Me a Sticker!

I have realized recently that I respond really well to reward systems. My mom was smart and figured that out when I was little. If she really wanted me to do something I would get a sticker for each success. I was an enthusiastic participant in Read and Lead every year because it involved filling in a chart and tracking your progress, and prizes. I like tracking progress for prizes almost as much as I like writing lists. If you let me write a list to track my progress and then give me a prize for it I will be so excited. Today I was googling "life organization" and I came across a site called joesgoals. It's pretty simple but it lets you enter in goals and makes a chart where you can put little check marks. You can put in habits to break and habits to build, and the bad habits get frowny faces while the good habits get smiley faces. You receive or loose points depending on if it's a good or bad habit you are feeding. You can give goals more points if they are ones that you really should (or should not) be doing. If there were stickers and prizes involved it would be better, but I am strangely drawn to the idea all the same. It might help me not to procrastinate.

I'm still trying to decide what all to put on the goal list, but so far I have:

To do:
1. Exercise
2. Read Books
3. Blog
and other ones I'm not telling you.

To not do:
1. Eat Out

That's my only frowny face. I feel like there's more that I could put there, but I can't think of it right now. I think most of the habits I want to break I put in positive terms.

They had a list of goals other people had recently used, and I found it amusing/alarming to see that among goals listed was brush teeth. I didn't see any with the goal to shower. Maybe they don't know how smelly they are because their breath is so bad.

Some runners-up for my goals:
1. Watch a show with british accents
2. Weekly massages
3. Bake Cookies
4. Pedicure
5. Be rich

Now I get to go put a checkmark next to "blog."