I am so stinking excited because some of my all time favorite books are coming to the big screen soon. Just watching these trailers makes me want to squeal!
Something Borrowed- loved loved the book and the movie looks even better!!
Water for Elephants- wonderful book and OMG Robert Pattison- yes please!
Other books I am looking forward to seeing on the big screen soon:
The Help
The Hunger Games
Red Riding Hood
Breaking Dawn
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Atlas Shrugged
Life of Pi
Have I missed any really good ones?
Friday, February 18, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Ski Trip 2011
Ski Trip 2011 was by far the best one yet. It was epic.
We drove up to WV Wednesday night. We got pulled for speeding shortly after we crossed the VA border. I prayed for the officer to be lenient and show us mercy and guess what?! It worked! We didn’t get a ticket. Later it started snowing and we had had to stop to put a tarp over the stuff in the back of the truck.
Around 8:30 pm, we stopped the cutest little town- Harrisonburg, VA to eat dinner. We ate at a yummy Greek restaurant called Dave’s Taverna. The Duke/Carolina game started at 9, so we even got to see a little bit of that. (Duke/Carolina games are like national holidays in this state. BIG. HUGE.)
Oh and I was jealous because I saw one of my absolute favorites was going to be playing in that town on Sunday!
We listed to the rest of the game as we took one of the scariest drives ever. First we went through what I will call Dragon Forest, then it was up and down like 3 mountains. Hairpin turns. Steep inclines and declines. All while it is snowing and dark. I was so thankful to not be the one driving because I might have had a panic attack.
We finally got to the bed and breakfast around 1 am. It was 6 degrees and about a foot of snow and ice on the ground. We didn’t even unpack the truck and just slept in our clothes. The Inn was cute though and we had a yummy breakfast the next morning.
We went grocery shopping in the town’s one little grocery store in the morning- the good ol Shop n Save. Then we made our way to the house. We got lost a few times but finally found the house at the very top of a very steep cul-de-sac. It was HUGE!
This was the most perfect house for our group. It was huge, had an indoor pool/hot tub, basketball goal, pool table, outdoor hot tub, right on the slopes, 2 kitchens, 2 living rooms, amazing views, right on the slopes, almost everyone had a private bedroom and bathroom…it was perfect. Here are a few pictures I took, but if you want to see the whole house tour go here. (Really the pictures do not do it justice. It was huge!)
There ended up being 28 of us there I think. But it was not crowded at all. We were right on the slopes, so we never had to drive anywhere. It was like a house party with your bestest friends that lasts for 3 days.
There were tons of funny moments including learning how to dougie, 5 guys in a tiny sauna, body shots, lots of card games, a spontaneous strip tease by the guys, and tons of funny dancing and singing. A lot of people have video cameras so we got tons of great video and would watch it back the next night and laugh at our crazy selves. We’re trying to figure out how to create a private channel to share all the videos among just our group. We even watched a video from our 2009 ski trip. One day we will have to make a whole compilation of the footage over the years.
The highlight of the weekend for me though was learning to play chess. I am obsessed now. Kelly’s husband taught us how to play and we played each other twice I think. Both times it lasted over an hour because you really have to think 3 steps ahead and be very careful with your moves. I don’t know how people play speed chess! Every time one of the guys would play I would watch the game to learn new strategies. I’m a little competitive.
The lowlight was crying all the way down the mountain. We were right on the slopes and we had to figure out which trail took us back to the house. We found a blue trail that led back and I was fine with that. I prefer to stick with green, but have done blue in the past. Well, this blue should have been a black. It was straight freaking down the mountain with no end in sight! I hate going too fast because it feels like I am going to lose control (they even nicknamed me “Slow Bunny”). I was in tears the whole time and I was having a panic attack and I could not move my body. I had to slowly slide down inch by inch. It was a real workout for my legs! I fell once or twice and my ski popped off. Let me tell ya, getting that thing back on when you are on a steep decline is super hard! I did decline a ride down from Snow Patrol and finally made it down to the house. Luckily we found a green slope to cut across to get back to the house after that because there was no way I was going down that thing again!
It was a great weekend. I LOVE my friends and am so thankful to have found a group that gets along so well! I felt very blessed the whole weekend!
(Sorry for the lack of pictures. I realized after I got back that I barely took any!)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine's Day guest post
I'm boycotting Valentine's Day, but I know some of you may not be, so I got a great guest blogger to bring you some Valentine's Day entertainment:
Hi, I’m Martin and I’ve been writing rhyming birthday and love poetry for a few years now. Most of these poems are very sweet (corny) and overly sentimental. However, there are a few gems that won’t bore you to death and are actually quite funny (pure bias).
Since it's Valentine’s Day, here’s two funny love poems that will hopefully make you laugh.
Disease
Some call love a grave disease,
Comes and goes, like a morning breeze.
To attain it, use your knees,
A shiny diamond and a please.
Few years later it smells like cheese,
To keep it fresh, you try to freeze.
Bills and payments, so many keys,
Love has mastered, the wallet squeeze.
Here’s an example of a more realistic date, it’s definitely not from a romance novel:
Hungry Love
A little surprise and delicious meal,
Tried my best, to conceal.
I know your very favourite taste,
At the farm, I was chased.
The scented candle, has been lit,
To hide the odour, from my pit.
But don’t you worry, it is fine,
All you need is a bit more wine.
This love of ours, is very hot,
Food in the oven, I forgot.
I am sorry, the food is burnt,
For next time, I have learnt.
Here’s one of my favourite birthday poems
Your Zoo
A birthday should always be a joyous occasion,
Family and friends; obvious invasion.
Duplicate gifts, you don’t even like,
If you complain, might get a strike.
One simple day, placed on display,
Carefully observed, for signs of decay.
Dishonest smiles, they don’t mingle in truth,
As if you were the only, losing your youth.
At such a wise age, everything seems so clear,
Excuse to celebrate, they all came for beer.
Deep down inside, you know that they care,
Your Zoo is unique, normal is rare.
Hi, I’m Martin and I’ve been writing rhyming birthday and love poetry for a few years now. Most of these poems are very sweet (corny) and overly sentimental. However, there are a few gems that won’t bore you to death and are actually quite funny (pure bias).
Since it's Valentine’s Day, here’s two funny love poems that will hopefully make you laugh.
Disease
Some call love a grave disease,
Comes and goes, like a morning breeze.
To attain it, use your knees,
A shiny diamond and a please.
Few years later it smells like cheese,
To keep it fresh, you try to freeze.
Bills and payments, so many keys,
Love has mastered, the wallet squeeze.
Here’s an example of a more realistic date, it’s definitely not from a romance novel:
Hungry Love
A little surprise and delicious meal,
Tried my best, to conceal.
I know your very favourite taste,
At the farm, I was chased.
The scented candle, has been lit,
To hide the odour, from my pit.
But don’t you worry, it is fine,
All you need is a bit more wine.
This love of ours, is very hot,
Food in the oven, I forgot.
I am sorry, the food is burnt,
For next time, I have learnt.
Here’s one of my favourite birthday poems
Your Zoo
A birthday should always be a joyous occasion,
Family and friends; obvious invasion.
Duplicate gifts, you don’t even like,
If you complain, might get a strike.
One simple day, placed on display,
Carefully observed, for signs of decay.
Dishonest smiles, they don’t mingle in truth,
As if you were the only, losing your youth.
At such a wise age, everything seems so clear,
Excuse to celebrate, they all came for beer.
Deep down inside, you know that they care,
Your Zoo is unique, normal is rare.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Shawnessy's 30 Before 30
Let me introduce you to Shawnessy! She has an awesome 30 Before 30 list with an even more awesome bonus goal! I just love seeing what others have on their list because it inspires me to reach for the stars and gives me ideas of fun things to try that I hadn't thought of! I was sure impressed with some of the things on her list. You can follow along with her list progress here on her blog.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I turned 29 last November and it really started to hit me that 30 was just right around the corner. With every other late 20-something, I was getting a little freaked out. I love my life. I have a great job in advertising, my family is pretty awesome (all 10 of us!), my friends are amazing, and I have a lot of great hobbies that keep me busy (running, reading, traveling, Yankees games). I can’t really complain. However, I did want to attempt to check off a bunch of things before I turned 30. So New Year’s rolled around and I really started to think about it and I started to make a list. I figured doing a 30 Before 30 list as my New Year’s resolution isn’t a bad idea. Now, I know most people give themselves years to accomplish their 30 things. I had less than 11 months. But I’m not a person to shy away from a challenge. I’m a pretty ambitious person and am determined to check everything off my list!
So how did I come up with my list? Well there are things I’ve always wanted to do, so I put it on the list. I googled for some ideas, and added a few more things. I asked for input from my siblings and friends, and all of a sudden I had 50+ goals! Well obviously way too much, so then my next task was to take it down to 30 (well plus a bonus). I tried to provide a good mix of things from outrageous and scary (sky diving and dating), to things I should just get done (pay my credit cards off and finish knitting my first scarf). Others, I’ve wanted to do for a really long time (go to Southeast Asia and take a photography class). By making a list and of course blogging about it, I am stuck with the list and everyone who knows me (or at least reading the blog) will hold me to it!
I’m happy to say that within a month of posting my first blog with the final list, I’m made some good progress. I’ve checked 2 things off completely; will check one more thing off this weekend, and another next weekend. And of course constantly trying to make progress on goals that will take me ALL year to do.
Without further ado, here’s my list!
My 30 Before 30 list (Plus a bonus):
1. Write a blog
2. Go to an NFL or MLS game
3. Boston Qualify
4. Sky dive
5. Go to the Baseball Hall of Fame
6. Finish knitting the scarf I started in November 2008
7. Pay off my credit card debt
8. Go on 11 dates (1/month)
9. Improve my race pace to 7 minutes/mile
10. Snowboard for the 1st time
11. Pick 10 classic novels and read them
12. Try kangaroo meat
13. Finish a whole crossword puzzle (no cheating)
14. Take a photography class
15. Move
16. Shoot a gun at a shooting range
17. Travel to a continent I’ve never been to (I’ve only been to North America and Europe)
18. Go on a hot air balloon ride
19. Create my Family Tree
20. Bake a pie from scratch
21. Write a haiku
22. Do a Polar Bear plunge
23. Take a sommelier class
24. Volunteer with kids
25. Dance in a flash mob
26. Print and frame pictures from post-college
27. Try paddle boarding or surfing
28. Get a fancy drink somewhere fancy in NYC
29. Do a mud run or obstacle course race
30. Watch the sunrise and sunset on same day from 2 different coasts of the USA
31. Kiss Justin Timberlake
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I turned 29 last November and it really started to hit me that 30 was just right around the corner. With every other late 20-something, I was getting a little freaked out. I love my life. I have a great job in advertising, my family is pretty awesome (all 10 of us!), my friends are amazing, and I have a lot of great hobbies that keep me busy (running, reading, traveling, Yankees games). I can’t really complain. However, I did want to attempt to check off a bunch of things before I turned 30. So New Year’s rolled around and I really started to think about it and I started to make a list. I figured doing a 30 Before 30 list as my New Year’s resolution isn’t a bad idea. Now, I know most people give themselves years to accomplish their 30 things. I had less than 11 months. But I’m not a person to shy away from a challenge. I’m a pretty ambitious person and am determined to check everything off my list!
So how did I come up with my list? Well there are things I’ve always wanted to do, so I put it on the list. I googled for some ideas, and added a few more things. I asked for input from my siblings and friends, and all of a sudden I had 50+ goals! Well obviously way too much, so then my next task was to take it down to 30 (well plus a bonus). I tried to provide a good mix of things from outrageous and scary (sky diving and dating), to things I should just get done (pay my credit cards off and finish knitting my first scarf). Others, I’ve wanted to do for a really long time (go to Southeast Asia and take a photography class). By making a list and of course blogging about it, I am stuck with the list and everyone who knows me (or at least reading the blog) will hold me to it!
I’m happy to say that within a month of posting my first blog with the final list, I’m made some good progress. I’ve checked 2 things off completely; will check one more thing off this weekend, and another next weekend. And of course constantly trying to make progress on goals that will take me ALL year to do.
Without further ado, here’s my list!
My 30 Before 30 list (Plus a bonus):
1. Write a blog
2. Go to an NFL or MLS game
3. Boston Qualify
4. Sky dive
5. Go to the Baseball Hall of Fame
6. Finish knitting the scarf I started in November 2008
7. Pay off my credit card debt
8. Go on 11 dates (1/month)
9. Improve my race pace to 7 minutes/mile
10. Snowboard for the 1st time
11. Pick 10 classic novels and read them
12. Try kangaroo meat
13. Finish a whole crossword puzzle (no cheating)
14. Take a photography class
15. Move
16. Shoot a gun at a shooting range
17. Travel to a continent I’ve never been to (I’ve only been to North America and Europe)
18. Go on a hot air balloon ride
19. Create my Family Tree
20. Bake a pie from scratch
21. Write a haiku
22. Do a Polar Bear plunge
23. Take a sommelier class
24. Volunteer with kids
25. Dance in a flash mob
26. Print and frame pictures from post-college
27. Try paddle boarding or surfing
28. Get a fancy drink somewhere fancy in NYC
29. Do a mud run or obstacle course race
30. Watch the sunrise and sunset on same day from 2 different coasts of the USA
31. Kiss Justin Timberlake
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Stylish Blogger Award
I am getting ready to leave for my trip, but before I do...
Frankie @ Cheerful Carolina gave me a Stylish Blogger Award!
So here are the rules:
1. Thank & link back to the person who awarded me this award
Thank you Frankie!! You made my day and I got to discover some great new blogs through your post!!
2. Share 7 things about myself...
1) I LOVE sushi! There is a great sushi place right near my house, Tasu, with the best sushi and it is even Buy One Get One Free. Unfortunately they don't let you do BOGO for takeout though.
2) I love playing Words with Friends on my iPhone and not to toot my own horn, but I am pretty good at it. Although I did have a random opponent beat me five times in a row before I gave up. He got at least 20 points for every word he played somehow. It was ridiculous. If you want to play, my name on there is ncsuz.
3) I'm an only child and when I was little I did almost every activity imaginable: dance, gymanastics, swimming, tennis, horseback riding, soccer, piano, cheerleading, basketball, summer camp with rock climbing and waterski lessons...I guess you could say I was very well rounded.
4) I was held several positions in my sorority in college: house manager, scholarship chair, treasurer, and vice president of recruitment. I think those positions prepared me more for corporate america than my classes did.
5) My first job was a cashier at a grocery store in high school. I think I stuck it out for a little over a month before I quit. The produce numbers killed me...I was ringing up apples as cherries and blueberries as pomegranates because I never wanted to pull out the cheat sheet book to look them up. I think they have better ways of looking those up and more fruits and veggies have barcodes and stickers on them now-a-days.
6) My favorite food is honeymustard. I could drink that stuff! And not all honey mustards are created equal...I am a honey mustard connesiour now!
7) I have lived in North Carolina my whole life and love it, but I also love to travel and have a goal of visiting all 50 US states.
3. Toss this award to 15 other bloggers
Made You Blush
Green Door Designs
Domestic Goddess
Barefoot in the Park
Simply Suzanna
The Cottage Gray
Think Classy
That's So City
Big Adventure Calling
Hang On Tomato
tryin' to throw my arms around the world
Miles to Run
Simply Sam
Tales of Our Journey
From LA to L.A.
Also, I've got some guest bloggers lined up in my absence, so be sure to check them out!
Frankie @ Cheerful Carolina gave me a Stylish Blogger Award!
So here are the rules:
1. Thank & link back to the person who awarded me this award
Thank you Frankie!! You made my day and I got to discover some great new blogs through your post!!
2. Share 7 things about myself...
1) I LOVE sushi! There is a great sushi place right near my house, Tasu, with the best sushi and it is even Buy One Get One Free. Unfortunately they don't let you do BOGO for takeout though.
2) I love playing Words with Friends on my iPhone and not to toot my own horn, but I am pretty good at it. Although I did have a random opponent beat me five times in a row before I gave up. He got at least 20 points for every word he played somehow. It was ridiculous. If you want to play, my name on there is ncsuz.
3) I'm an only child and when I was little I did almost every activity imaginable: dance, gymanastics, swimming, tennis, horseback riding, soccer, piano, cheerleading, basketball, summer camp with rock climbing and waterski lessons...I guess you could say I was very well rounded.
4) I was held several positions in my sorority in college: house manager, scholarship chair, treasurer, and vice president of recruitment. I think those positions prepared me more for corporate america than my classes did.
5) My first job was a cashier at a grocery store in high school. I think I stuck it out for a little over a month before I quit. The produce numbers killed me...I was ringing up apples as cherries and blueberries as pomegranates because I never wanted to pull out the cheat sheet book to look them up. I think they have better ways of looking those up and more fruits and veggies have barcodes and stickers on them now-a-days.
6) My favorite food is honeymustard. I could drink that stuff! And not all honey mustards are created equal...I am a honey mustard connesiour now!
7) I have lived in North Carolina my whole life and love it, but I also love to travel and have a goal of visiting all 50 US states.
3. Toss this award to 15 other bloggers
Made You Blush
Green Door Designs
Domestic Goddess
Barefoot in the Park
Simply Suzanna
The Cottage Gray
Think Classy
That's So City
Big Adventure Calling
Hang On Tomato
tryin' to throw my arms around the world
Miles to Run
Simply Sam
Tales of Our Journey
From LA to L.A.
Also, I've got some guest bloggers lined up in my absence, so be sure to check them out!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Blogging Tips and Guest Bloggers Needed
I have been blogging for almost 3 years now. Not only that, I have been reading blogs for even longer. It is my favorite hobby. I love following along with all the blogs I subscribe to. Google Reader is daily part of my life now. I love when I read a post and immediately want to have a whole conversation about that topic with the blogger. I love that my friends now also say "I heard about that or found that on a blog I was reading." Blogs are just fabulous in my opinion.
However I have developed some preferences and learned some tips and tricks over the years when it comes to blogging. I'm going to try to not be offensive because I know everyone is different and every blogger probably has their own ways of doing things, but as a follower and a writer, here are some things I've learned to make managing my hobby a little easier and more enjoyable:
1. I hate word verification on comments. Please, please if you have word verification on your comments consider taking it off! I understand you don't want spam comments, but commenting should be easy. And word verification makes it hard. If I am on my phone or have a slow internet connection, it's impossible to comment with word verification. And nothing frustrates me more than when I have typed out a long comment and submit it and then the word verification comes up. It makes me want to throw my phone out a window!
Trust me, I haven't had a spam comment get through in months and even when I did have spam, I would get an email with a notification of the comment that was posted so I can go in and delete it immediately. I'm begging you if you have word verifation on your comments, please consider removing it.
Here is a great post on how to turn off that setting:
2. Please do not do partial feeds to my Reader to make me click over to your blog. If I start following someone who has partial feeds I immediately remove them. I do not have time to click through just to read a post. Why do you think I have a Reader tool? You could be the best writer in the world but I am not going to read your posts if you have a partial feed. One of my favorite authors Jen Lancaster has a partial feed so I no longer read her posts. Please make it easy for your readers. If I like your post and have time I will click through and comment, but if I can't even read your post, I just get frustrated and move on. Please, please push your complete post to my reader and not just a tiny teaser.
3. I don't get blog hops. I don't know what they are. Again I don't want to click through so when all you say is I'm participating in this blog hop, but there is no other content in your post...well I just don't get it and if you do that too many I will unfollow. If someone wants to explain this to me, please do. I think it has something to do with getting more followers to your blog. Well, I'm no expert at that, but I know I don't want unneccessary content filling up my reader. Why don't you just try posting good content people want to read...that is a good way to attract and better yet keep followers I think.
4. Bloggers- please post at least once a week not once a month. I really do want to get to know the people I follow and if you only post once a month I will not remember who you are. I love feeling like I know the people I follow and reocgnizing certain people just by the way their posts are organized. To become a good blogger, you really have to do it on a regular basis.
5. Please allow me to reply by email to your comments on my blog. When I first started blogging I was so confused as to the best way to respond to comments. I have found the best way for me as a follower and also as the blog owner has been to reply by email or get an email reply to the comment I've left. Commenting in the thread isn't good because how do you know the person will come back and read it? Commenting on their blog doesn't work because not all blog readers have a blog. Here are instructions on how to enable the email reply feature in blogger:
Edit your profile and enter your email address under the "Identity" section. Then click on the box next to "show my email address" under the Privacy section. This will provide a link on the profile page that says "Email" and a person could click on that to email you directly. Most importantly this provides a legit email address a blogger can reply to when responding to a comment left on their blog!
6. I know this is easier said than done, but please do not get upset or discouraged if you lose a follower or don't get a lot of comments on one of your posts. Some people just don't click with others. You can't please all of the people all of the time. Even if you don't get comments on a post, that doesn't mean people did not enjoy reading it. I find you just have to try not to take that stuff too personally.
These are just tips and preferences I've developed over the years. What are some of yours when it comes to all things blogging??
P.S. I am leaving for my ski trip tomorrow and I am looking for some guest bloggers to keep my readers entertained here on my blog. I know this is short notice, but if you send me a post about your own life list (it can be about marking something off or just a copy of the things on your list or something you did that inspired you to make a list.) and also the link to your blog I will post it here on my blog while I am gone. I leave right after work tomorrow, so please get your post to me by 10 pm EST TONIGHT so I can set them up! Can't wait to see more about YOUR lists!
However I have developed some preferences and learned some tips and tricks over the years when it comes to blogging. I'm going to try to not be offensive because I know everyone is different and every blogger probably has their own ways of doing things, but as a follower and a writer, here are some things I've learned to make managing my hobby a little easier and more enjoyable:
1. I hate word verification on comments. Please, please if you have word verification on your comments consider taking it off! I understand you don't want spam comments, but commenting should be easy. And word verification makes it hard. If I am on my phone or have a slow internet connection, it's impossible to comment with word verification. And nothing frustrates me more than when I have typed out a long comment and submit it and then the word verification comes up. It makes me want to throw my phone out a window!
Trust me, I haven't had a spam comment get through in months and even when I did have spam, I would get an email with a notification of the comment that was posted so I can go in and delete it immediately. I'm begging you if you have word verifation on your comments, please consider removing it.
Here is a great post on how to turn off that setting:
2. Please do not do partial feeds to my Reader to make me click over to your blog. If I start following someone who has partial feeds I immediately remove them. I do not have time to click through just to read a post. Why do you think I have a Reader tool? You could be the best writer in the world but I am not going to read your posts if you have a partial feed. One of my favorite authors Jen Lancaster has a partial feed so I no longer read her posts. Please make it easy for your readers. If I like your post and have time I will click through and comment, but if I can't even read your post, I just get frustrated and move on. Please, please push your complete post to my reader and not just a tiny teaser.
3. I don't get blog hops. I don't know what they are. Again I don't want to click through so when all you say is I'm participating in this blog hop, but there is no other content in your post...well I just don't get it and if you do that too many I will unfollow. If someone wants to explain this to me, please do. I think it has something to do with getting more followers to your blog. Well, I'm no expert at that, but I know I don't want unneccessary content filling up my reader. Why don't you just try posting good content people want to read...that is a good way to attract and better yet keep followers I think.
4. Bloggers- please post at least once a week not once a month. I really do want to get to know the people I follow and if you only post once a month I will not remember who you are. I love feeling like I know the people I follow and reocgnizing certain people just by the way their posts are organized. To become a good blogger, you really have to do it on a regular basis.
5. Please allow me to reply by email to your comments on my blog. When I first started blogging I was so confused as to the best way to respond to comments. I have found the best way for me as a follower and also as the blog owner has been to reply by email or get an email reply to the comment I've left. Commenting in the thread isn't good because how do you know the person will come back and read it? Commenting on their blog doesn't work because not all blog readers have a blog. Here are instructions on how to enable the email reply feature in blogger:
Edit your profile and enter your email address under the "Identity" section. Then click on the box next to "show my email address" under the Privacy section. This will provide a link on the profile page that says "Email" and a person could click on that to email you directly. Most importantly this provides a legit email address a blogger can reply to when responding to a comment left on their blog!
6. I know this is easier said than done, but please do not get upset or discouraged if you lose a follower or don't get a lot of comments on one of your posts. Some people just don't click with others. You can't please all of the people all of the time. Even if you don't get comments on a post, that doesn't mean people did not enjoy reading it. I find you just have to try not to take that stuff too personally.
These are just tips and preferences I've developed over the years. What are some of yours when it comes to all things blogging??
P.S. I am leaving for my ski trip tomorrow and I am looking for some guest bloggers to keep my readers entertained here on my blog. I know this is short notice, but if you send me a post about your own life list (it can be about marking something off or just a copy of the things on your list or something you did that inspired you to make a list.) and also the link to your blog I will post it here on my blog while I am gone. I leave right after work tomorrow, so please get your post to me by 10 pm EST TONIGHT so I can set them up! Can't wait to see more about YOUR lists!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Pause & 30 Before 30 list checkpoint
First of all I want to ask all my readers to stop and say a prayer for Egypt. I subscribe to the blog of a girl who lives in Egypt. Early last week she posted something about the protest before it was in the news, before anything had grown in momentum. She was going to protest with her brother. She was scared, but knew it was important to take a stand. To show support for something she believed in. I can't even do that in everyday life, so I admire her courage. She is a girl I relate to through her blog. She has a lot of the same thoughts, dreams,and aspirations I do. These people in Egypt are humans just like you and me. Yes, their culture and homeland is different, but we humans are more alike than you can imagine.
Then her internet access was cut off and she had a friend from outside the country post updates. I wanted to know what was going on there and have been trying to follow the story but it is hard for me to even wrap my head around. I just can't imagine what these people are going through.
And if you think just because we live far away from all the distress, don't fool yourself and think it doesn't affect us. I just saw a reporter interviewing a group of Murbarak supporters and they told her to go away and that they hated Americans. She tried to ask them why they hated Americans and they said "Because you are not a good person...we hate Americans." Then they forced her and the crew to flee in their car while they beat on the car and threw rocks. Why? Why is there so much hate, anger, and violence? I don't know enough about either side and I don't know why they hate Americans so much, but it scares me. I know Americans aren't perfect but I would never look another human being in the face and tell them I hate them just because where they are from. The violence between the protesters and police scares me. The politics behind it all scares me. All that is happening to the infrastructure and daily life in Egypt scares me. Please pray for Egypt.
Now to something less heavy. I wanted to pause and look back at the list that started this whole blog. I have 8 things left on my list and I still plan to mark them off in the next couple months:
1. Get in the best shape of my life- I think I am almost there. Not weight or body wise yet, but I am running more than I ever have and doing weights regularly. I am going to run another 5K in April and want to come in under 31:00. I want to do an 8K, 10K, and half marathon eventually.
9. kayak- hopefully in the spring I will be able to convince some friends to help me mark this one off my list.
10. Catch a fish- maybe in the spring my favorite 4 year old can show me how to catch a fish!
18. Upgrade one room in my house- I attempted this one with my bathroom. But I think I made it worse. I SUCK at painting. I will never do it again. It I can fix the trim maybe I will consider this one done, but there are so many other things I want to do to my house. Here is a sneak peek at the bathroom:
21. Go skinny dipping- I have plans to mark this one off my list. I've been skinny dipping before, but it is time to go again. I'm just not going to tell anyone when or where until it is done.
26. Kiss in the rain- I don't know about this one. I am very cynical about love right now.
27. Read the Bible all the way through- I have been trying. This one is so hard because the Old Testament is sooo hard to read. It has crazy stories that make your jaw drop and then very long passages about lineage or long detailed instructions for building the Temple or what to bring for their offerings. But I do have at least 7 books marked off. Tons more to go though.
29. Attempt Surfing- I hope to do this one just before my birthday on my annual beach trip.
Any advice for any of the things left on my list?
Then her internet access was cut off and she had a friend from outside the country post updates. I wanted to know what was going on there and have been trying to follow the story but it is hard for me to even wrap my head around. I just can't imagine what these people are going through.
And if you think just because we live far away from all the distress, don't fool yourself and think it doesn't affect us. I just saw a reporter interviewing a group of Murbarak supporters and they told her to go away and that they hated Americans. She tried to ask them why they hated Americans and they said "Because you are not a good person...we hate Americans." Then they forced her and the crew to flee in their car while they beat on the car and threw rocks. Why? Why is there so much hate, anger, and violence? I don't know enough about either side and I don't know why they hate Americans so much, but it scares me. I know Americans aren't perfect but I would never look another human being in the face and tell them I hate them just because where they are from. The violence between the protesters and police scares me. The politics behind it all scares me. All that is happening to the infrastructure and daily life in Egypt scares me. Please pray for Egypt.
Now to something less heavy. I wanted to pause and look back at the list that started this whole blog. I have 8 things left on my list and I still plan to mark them off in the next couple months:
1. Get in the best shape of my life- I think I am almost there. Not weight or body wise yet, but I am running more than I ever have and doing weights regularly. I am going to run another 5K in April and want to come in under 31:00. I want to do an 8K, 10K, and half marathon eventually.
9. kayak- hopefully in the spring I will be able to convince some friends to help me mark this one off my list.
10. Catch a fish- maybe in the spring my favorite 4 year old can show me how to catch a fish!
18. Upgrade one room in my house- I attempted this one with my bathroom. But I think I made it worse. I SUCK at painting. I will never do it again. It I can fix the trim maybe I will consider this one done, but there are so many other things I want to do to my house. Here is a sneak peek at the bathroom:
 |
| Old bathroom- not bad, but needs improvement |
 |
| New bathroom |
 |
| Turquoise stripe on one wall |
 |
| Obviously I can't stay inside the lines- and yes I did use tape |
26. Kiss in the rain- I don't know about this one. I am very cynical about love right now.
27. Read the Bible all the way through- I have been trying. This one is so hard because the Old Testament is sooo hard to read. It has crazy stories that make your jaw drop and then very long passages about lineage or long detailed instructions for building the Temple or what to bring for their offerings. But I do have at least 7 books marked off. Tons more to go though.
29. Attempt Surfing- I hope to do this one just before my birthday on my annual beach trip.
Any advice for any of the things left on my list?
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