A BIG Update!

Well I am definitely failing at posting my 20 updates per year... I only had 4 updates in 2017 between this blog and my main page.

Even though I've done a terrible job keeping up my blog, I am making pretty good progress on my 101 list.

Here are some updates:

1.              Send Aunt Nancy thank you gift
Done! I sent her a thank you card around Christmas with some caramels, a bracelet that I found in Charleston, and some fun cocktail napkins. She sent me a lovely email afterwards and I think that I did well with my choices. :)
3.              Participate in a Food Stamp Challenge each year during 101 list (1/3)
This I'm not doing very well with. I am trying to reduce our spending, so we might do two weeks of Food Stamp challenge in 2018, but not sure that I'll get a chance to blog about them.
4.              Be a relentlessly positive person for an entire week
I need to choose a week to do this - it's going to be tough!
5.              Draft MGAS administration policy
I am planning to discontinue my involvement with the scholarship. I'm not going to get into it, but the organization has left a bad taste in my mouth and I really don't think that my dad would be thrilled with the direction it has gone.
6.              Find a cause that I love and donate money or volunteer my time
I'm marking this off. I've been donating to a lot of different organizations over the past year or so. Time is something that I don't have in large quantities right now, so I'm choosing money. I also discovered a cool app called Charity Miles, where companies sponsor your miles and you earn 25 cents per mile for walking/running. So far I've logged 73 miles, which is a bit shy of $20. I love that I'm doing double duty - raising money for Feeding America WHILE I'm getting some exercise.
8.              Pay it forward – pay for a stranger’s coffee or lunch at least once per year of 101 (2 of 3 complete)
I do this somewhat regularly (maybe 10 times since I started this list) - typically when I'm in a bad mood. It's a good way to reset my day and do something positive.
11.          Decide if I'm going to get my Bachelors in Business Admin and sign up to do it
I have my transcripts and just need to set up a meeting with an advisor at UMUC to go over my options. If there is another bachelor's degree program that will get me the piece of paper faster, I will go that route.
12.          Participate in a Lady Caroline’s Players Production
I'm currently in rehearsals for My Fatal Valentine! I have a larger role than I really wanted or expected to get, so jumping back in to this kind of thing last minute has been slightly more stressful than I was expecting.
14.          Take a one month Facebook vacation
I know that I've already done this, but I wanted to throw it out here again - I was much happier without Facebook on my phone. I'm thinking of deleting the app again. Unfortunately, my book club group is on there and there is no more Facebook groups app.
18.          Determine cost basis for my two lonely MTB shares
This is completed and I sold my shares. It amounted to about a $1400 loss... crazy!
19.          Get a new headshot
Done!
20.          Update my LinkedIn profile
Done!
27.          Make Jay a new mug
Took care of this while my SIL Colleen was visiting over Christmas.
29.          Decide on our next vehicle for when Roxie (Civic with 300k+ miles) finally dies
We bought another Forester back in November. Roxie was not actually dead - and she has 350k miles on her. However, her CV joints needed to be replaced along with some other things. The repair bill was over $1000, which was more than she was worth. She was a damn good car and she served me well for 13+ years.
34.          Come up with a food storage plan/supplies for our family for 2+ weeks
We have this - I can't remember if I posted about it or not. Mostly it's rice and beans and cereal. We just have extra and cycle everything through so that it doesn't get stale or go bad.
36.          Come up with a regular date night plan
I said that I was going to mark this off, but we do need one. Jay is in the show with me too, so right now our date nights are a lot of work!
37.          Use our timeshare at a sister resort (not in the DR or Mexico)
We're planning to use the RCI exchange sometime this year.
40.          Go on a last-minute vacation
We may do this sometime this year with a Travelzoo deal.
43.          Go on a 3 (or more) night girl's trip and act totally ridiculous at least one night
We had this somewhat planned, but I am not sure if it will happen.
44.          Go on a book club trip (Debbie must be there!!)
The girls trip was / is the book club trip. :)
45.          Spend a fun weekend in DC with Angela and Tiffany
We need to make this  happen!
47.          Blog about each UNESCO site I visit (0/5)
I need to do this.
48.          Plan a trip to the Outer Banks
Not only planned, but we have booked the Great Blue Heron in Avon for August.

49.          Attend a murder mystery dinner theatre
This will be done on February 10th - I am attending it AND acting in it. I think I should get bonus points for this.
55.          Do an Escape Room adventure
We did this for Jay's birthday at Shore Escape Rooms - we got out and it was a lot of fun!
60.          Dive a wreck
We will probably go wreck diving while we are in the Outer Banks.
61.          Get to 50 dives (20 @ time of list) by the end of this 101 list – (current 34)
We'll be getting some diving in this summer at Dutch Springs and possibly getting a few dives in with any last minute trips. I think we might need to get a new dive computer for Jay too, his battery back is all jacked up.
62.          Try out diving at Dutch Springs
I think we'll do that this summer before our OBX trip. We have some friends who are about to get their certifications, so I am pretty excited to have some other buddies to go diving with.
63.          Hike Old Rag
Some old coworkers of mine and I were talking about having a reunion of sorts this fall. Maybe this will happen then, or maybe Jay and I will celebrate our anniversary early and have a weekend away to do this.
65.          Go one week without coffee and/or caffeine
I'm not afraid to say it - I am addicted and if I go one day without caffeine, I get a migraine. SO I think the best way to do this is to just cut back to 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day. This one just seems unwise for me from a health perspective!
69.          Make at least six attempts to duplicate Sara’s favorite pasta sauce
Sara hasn't told me which is her favorite, so we're starting to run out of time. Also, six attempts is kind of a lot. Maybe three tries is more realistic. I just found a recipe for Vodka sauce, so I think I'm going to try to make that more often. It's kind of pricey at the store, but it's also an expensive sauce to make, since it has vodka and heavy cream in it.
71.          Dinner with Jay at Charleston in Baltimore (tasting menu w/ wine)
Jay and I had an extraordinarily expensive dinner IN Charleston at McCrady's Restaurant. It was slightly obscene with the amount of money we spent, but I don't regret it at all. It will be a meal that I remember for the rest of my life. It was that good, and that imaginative. Maybe we will eat there to celebrate our 8th anniversary.
75.          Have a yard sale or take a load to the auction
We really need to do this... in our to-dos for 2018, we are going to begin cleaning out the attic. It's time to get rid of stuff.
76.          Can tomatoes or sauce from my garden
I think that this will be more realistic once I'm comfortable making sauces from scratch.
81.          Help Jay design & assemble outdoor fire pit area
Our fire pit itself is complete, although we want to dig out the area around it and put in some gravel or river rocks. Jay also was thinking of building a swinging bench on one side.
83.          Print and frame pics of at least ten new friends/family to hang in hallway
I ordered them, but then realized that I ordered the wrong size. SO I will need to redo this.
85.          Build a backyard deck
This was supposed to happen in the spring, then the summer, then the fall of 2017. It never came to fruition. Maybe in 2018.
89.          Find a place that will butcher our chickens for us
Sudlersville meat locker will do this, but I think we will probably give them away instead. I had planned to give them away before winter set in, but alas it did not happen.
92.          Make a donation at least once a year to Purple Heart (2 of 3)
I have another pick up scheduled for January 25th. Although I do choose Purple Heart sometimes, I have also been donating to National Federation for the Blind, because they are higher rated on Charity Navigator.
99.          Buy a new DSLR
I'm not going to do this because I'm not using the one that I have often enough. Now if I begin to take more photos, I may do this.
100.       Post at least 20 updates a year to blog/101 list
Failing miserably. But I will say that if I make it to 60 posts between 2017, 2018 and 2019, I will count the aggregated total.

That's my update for now! I'll be posting some fun stuff on the main blog... check it out!

Facebook Vacation Complete!

14. Take a One Month Facebook Vacation

I must admit that I do feel a bit out of touch with what is happening in peoples' lives, but overall, it has been so nice to not be on Facebook. I've posted pictures on Instagram, which posts to Facebook, but gone is the obsession with checking Facebook multiple times a day. What I have not missed at all is the political nonsense.

It seems that a lot of the obsession with social media is FOMO.

"Did you see what so-and-so posted on Facebook?!"

Nope. I didn't. And it's been awesome.

I am going to try my hardest to stay off of Facebook and only check it from time to time on my tablet. I'm not planning to reinstall it on my cell phone. It's made me much more productive, although I must admit that I do miss my morning routine of seeing what everyone is up to when I wake up and before I really get going.

Since I haven't been perusing Facebook, I've been spending more time on Instagram and Twitter. I do find Twitter tremendously entertaining - I think that it might be my new social media go-to. I also like that Twitter (and Instagram, to a degree) satisfies my need to attempt to interact with my favorite D-list celebrities (I'm a fangirl at heart, what can I say).

Oh, and Instagram and Twitter are fun for keeping up with what The Wiggles are doing. We took Mark to see them last week.

I have to admit, it was fun. The Wiggles are incredible musicians and performers. It is obvious that they love what they do and they are insanely talented. I'm hoping that they are touring in OZ when we go next May. Now that we've been to a concert, we know that we are supposed to make signs, bring roses, decorate bones, and bring Emma a new bow.

I wonder what they do with all of their Wiggly Gifts at each concert? I'm sure that they deliver the flowers to sick kids in the hospital. I'll just assume that instead of all the crap getting thrown in the garbage at the end of the night.

Next items I am planning to tackle:

            16.          Pass my Series 66

65.          Go one week without coffee and/or caffeine

66.          Go one week without eating anything sweet or using sugar

            70.          Have brunch at Miss Shirley’s
            81.          Help Jay design & assemble outdoor fire pit area
            83.          Print and frame pics of at least ten new friends/family to hang in hallway (pics printed, need to get frames and hang them)

Steady progress!

S

86. Decide if we want to sell our house

"The only thing that works in an old house is the owner."

Water dripping from light fixture in our upstairs bathroom

When my father passed away in 2005, over 11 years ago, he left behind a cluttered house in desperate need of repair. Let's be honest - it was more like an episode of hoarders. To a grief-stricken 25 year old, it was completely overwhelming. Hell, it would be overwhelming to me now. It was a huge job. The roof needed replacing and the entire place was in need of a massive overhaul, mostly created by the leaking roof, which created a mold problem in addition to other damage.

This was the project I was left with... I joke that Dad never did end up having to clean up his mess!

At the time, I had the estate checkbook and wrote many checks out to contractors to replace the roof, porch, and back door. That roof is less than ten years old. And as evidenced in the first picture, we are already having issues with it.

Despite putting more money than the house was worth into it and making substantial upgrades, it still remains an old house with the usual issues that seem to always pop up with old houses. After all, it is over 100 years old.

Our house today - or at least how it was a few years ago

One of my favorite upgrades that I rarely get to use

Some good friends of ours just bought a gorgeous home outside of Easton. Jay is experiencing a bit of house envy with that. And I am also living vicariously through my friend Angela's house design & build project.

One of our issues is that our house is too big for us. Even if we did decide to have another child (which at this point seems unlikely), 3 bedrooms should be sufficient. Ideally I'd like either a one level home with a great room and loft (if we had another kid, this could be our guest room) or a split level plan.

I would LOVE a look like this

Jay wants a pool, of course. I'm not sold on the pool idea. But I would like something on a bit more land, and without the view of septic tanks. And without an overgrown house next door. One thing is for sure, if that situation is still happening when we sell the house, we will probably have to pay someone to go knock down the brush.

So I think that the decision has been made that we will sell our house and get into something that works better for our family before Mark starts school. The question is - do we try finding (maybe building?) our dream house now or wait until retirement. We will probably be in that house until we retire, so maybe we go big now. It's a difficult decision, especially since I would rather spend any extra money on traveling instead of on possessions.

SO there is that! Another item off my list.

First Update to New 101 List

Greetings, dear readers!

I am going to do my best to update either this blog or my newly retitled main blog, Unexpected Adventures on a regular basis. At least once a month or so. Who knows, maybe I'll get crazy and update it once a week?!

So here is my update:

Doing Good

8. Pay it forward. (1 out of 3)

I paid for a stranger's coffee at the Dunkin Donuts on Kent Island after my dentist appointment a few weeks ago. To be completely honest, I was having a bad morning that day and was pretty grumpy. First, I was running late to daycare to drop off Markface, then I got stuck in a road shutdown which made me late to my appointment. Then at my cleaning I was told that I needed to come back to have a cavity filled. So not the greatest start to my day. Doing this simple deed made me feel a little bit better. I'm going to try to do this more often than once a year, because it makes me feel nice. Hopefully it brightens someone else's day. In my head I had made up an entire life story about the woman behind me. In my story, she was destitute and this small gesture made her day. I even gave a nice tip to the cashier, which I usually reserve for eating out. Everyone in the drive thru window was smiling when I left, so mission accomplished.

Family Life

24. Go camping

I went camping a few weeks after posting my 101 list. The heat index was 106. It was disgusting. I'm not sure if I put this on my list for the whole family to go camping? Jay and I went to Lake Phoenix to brush up on our diving skills and camped. We decided from now on we're just going there in September and October. Too damn hot in July.

Travel

46.          Visit at least five UNESCO world Heritage Sites during 101 list

We'll be going to one or two on our trip later this year. Probably Chichen Itza and/or Sian Ka'an.

Scuba Diving

61. Get to 50 dives

I think we got 6 or 7 additional dives in the weekend that we went to Lake Phoenix. I think we're up to 26 or 27 now. When we go to Mexico later this year, we will be doing more diving.

Fitness / Health

64. Commit to using Lose It regularly for 3 months

I'm currently on a 23 day streak, so if I can keep it up for another 11ish weeks, I will have healthier habits. I need to get back to the gym, but that will come. Small changes. Although I'm not overly focused on the scale this time and am committed to permanent weight loss and healthier food choices, my real goal is to be under 165 when we return to Australia next year. Under 160 would be even better. I think I was around 158 when I got married. Weight-wise, I think that for me between 150 and 160 will be my ideal healthy weight. When Jay and I met, I weighed around 145, but I wasn't terribly healthy. Ultimate goal - fit and healthy.

House, Home, & Garden

77.          Get rid of blue couch

Done! I loved that couch, but Loki claimed ownership of it and it was disgusting.

78.          Rearrange furniture in reading nook & downstairs

In progress. We moved the reading nook chairs downstairs, so now I'd like a chaise for the upstairs reading nook, but I don't want to pay a lot for it. I think I'd like to get a love seat or some other piece of furniture for downstairs, but I'm just not sure what I want to do with that room now. Maybe Angela has some ideas! :) 

92.          Make a donation at least once a year to Purple Heart (declutter)

Made one so far this year and I anticipate making another before too long, so that I can clean out those closets.

Miscellaneous

94.          Spread some of Dad at Martinak State Park

Done. I did this on the 11th anniversary of his death. It was a pretty rough day for me and I was a hot mess. 

95.          Spread some of Dad at Adkins Arboretum

The day that I spread some of dad at Martinak, Sara suggested that we have a picnic at the Arboretum and do this. So that will happen at some point. Probably when it stops being so freaking HOT.

So there's my update! Rolling merrily along, kind of. :)

Checking off four more items... nearly 20 more in the works!

I am making pretty good progress on my 101 list. Not too bad considering that I've completed 15% of my list and I'm only on Day 96 (about 10% done). So I am on target. I anticipate that #70, visit Nancy and Darryl in Australia again will be one of the most difficult things to achieve. But I am hopeful!

• Buy a map and put pins in the locations where I've left a little of Dad

The map is up and has pins in most of the places that I’ve left dad. It also has other places that we have traveled and places that we want to travel.

• Go camping

We went camping on the last weekend of September, while we were doing our dive certification. I anticipate that we will be going camping much more frequently, now that we’re certified divers. Lake Rawlings is a great place to practice.

• PADI Open Water SCUBA diver certification

Speaking of certified divers, knock it off the list. Next up is our Advanced Open Water certification, which we are also planning to do shortly. Since we’re planning on starting a family in the near future, I am trying to get a good start on my certifications since you can’t dive while you’re pregnant. Next year I’m hoping that we can get our Rescue Diver certifications. I also want to complete courses in Enriched Air Nitrox and Wreck Specialty. Maybe some others, but those two are top on my list at the moment.

• Write up TripAdvisor reviews for 5 places/things in OZ and/or NZ

I have contributed six reviews from our trip so far. I’m planning to review more places including Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Poseidon Agincourt Reef Cruises, Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple & Resort, Woodlyn Park Accommodations, The Legendary Blackwater Rafting Company,  Taupo DeBretts Spa, Almaden Railway Hotel, and Whitsunday Getaways catamaran.

Near future updates and plans:

• Plan and organize a WCCC meeting 

I have volunteered to host/organize/lead the women’s club meeting in May at the Choptank Wharf. 

• Try out oil pulling for at least a month 

I bought the coconut oil to do this, which I was told by someone at the railway market in Easton was the stuff to use. I’m planning to swish with oil while I’m in the shower. Will let you know how it goes!

• Attend a literary supper  

I’ll be attending the Poe dinner at the end of this month. 

Here is a list of everything I anticipate accomplishing by the end of this year:

• Go horseback riding with Rancho Lorilar in the Dominican Republic
• Complete the Couch 25K program
• Swim 1000 yards
• PADI Advanced Open Water SCUBA diver certification
• Make a photobook of Australia and New Zealand trip
• Frame and hang one or more of my own photos
• Eat a rooster that wakes me up too early
• Sell/giveaway laying hens
• Make brownies from scratch and share recipe on blog
• Visit Kathy's store Bead Soup
• Send Renee and Joanne souvenirs from vacation
• Research and buy a new car
• Dive a wreck
• Perfectly cook salmon
• Spend an entire afternoon reading in the hammock (this will more accurately be "a" hammock)

101 in 1001 - The 2013 Edition

I've come up with a new 101 list... my old 101 list can be found here. 

Start Date: Sunday, July 7, 2013
End Date: Sunday, April 3, 2016

1. Make my new 101 list (it's nice to have something to check off right away, isn't it?)
2. Find the perfect mojito recipe (preferably from Fish D'vine)
3. Use a "word of the day" in a sentence every day for two weeks (or longer)
4. Get my wedding ring re-sized (it was too small to begin with)
5. Buy a map and put pins in the locations where I've left a little of Dad
6. Use one week of our timeshare in a place other than the DR
7. Go camping
8. Go fishing
9. Go crabbing
10. Go horseback riding with Rancho Lorilar in the Dominican Republic
11. Attend one of the monthly USA Dance  events (or something comparable)
12. Go to a murder mystery dinner theatre
13. Raft a Class V river
14. Climb a rock wall
15. Go without eating out for two weeks
16. Have a yard sale
17. Have my aunt Mary over for dinner
18. Hike Old Rag
19. Complete the Couch 25K program
20. Sign up for a 5K race - then do it
21. Swim 1000 yards
22. PADI Open Water SCUBA diver certification
23. PADI Advanced Open Water SCUBA diver certification
24. Come up with a weekly housecleaning list
25. Make a filing system for all of my important documents
26. Figure out what I want to be when I grow up or figure out my degree path
27. Drink bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape from 2006 France trip (hope it's still good)
28. Make a photobook of Australia and New Zealand trip
29. Set up a computer with photo editing software
30. Frame and hang one or more of my own photos
31. Look into providing photos for Shutterstock
32. Select photos and apply to be a juried photographer at the Foundry
33. Fence in entire backyard
34. Can tomatoes from my own garden
35. Re-learn how to play Chess
36. Spend a weekend in NYC
37. See a Broadway show
38. Send Aunt Nancy thank you gift 
39. Send Chris and Sally thank you gift
40. Make gluten-free bread
41. Design egg carton to sell/giveaway eggs
42. Take an impromptu trip to the beach (for the day or weekend)
43. Make a batch of wine
44. Meet up with Nancy and Darryl in Germany or Austria
45. Visit Key West (maybe even for Fantasy Fest)
46. Meet up with my cousin Emily - either in Boise or elsewhere
47. Write a letter to the editor
48. Plan a visit to South America
49. Take a two-week vacation (or longer)
50. Write up TripAdvisor reviews for 5 places/things in OZ and/or NZ
51. Sign up to be a Foodie pen pal at least once
52. Write a magazine-worthy essay or short story
53. Send out Christmas cards (hopefully every year)
54. Find a cool glass bottle to display my Whitehaven Beach sand
55. Spread some of Dad at Martinak State Park
56. Buy a brick for the FACES building
57. Plan and organize a WCCC meeting
58. Go on a sailing adventure
59. Eat a rooster that wakes me up too early
60. Make Jay a new mug
61. Spend a day technology-free
62. Plant hardy perennials in front garden
63. Get rid of red couch and chair
64. 10,000 steps a day for two weeks straight
65. Do a liveaboard trip or cruise vacation
66. Use Chase Sapphire points for a vacation
67. Sell/giveaway laying hens
68. Sell eggs from our flock (hopefully enough to sustain price of feed)
69. Make brownies from scratch and share recipe on blog
70. Visit Nancy and Darryl in Australia again
71. Decide if finishing my degree in OZ is a viable option
72. Visit Kathy's store Bead Soup
73. Send Renee and Joanne souvenirs from vacation
74. Enter something in the county or state fair
75. Try out paddleboarding
76. Decide if buying a boat is right for us
77. Try out oil pulling for at least a month
78. Successfully grow a plant from seed
79. Research and buy a new car
80. Dive a wreck
81. Go to the Dry Tortugas
82. Have a fabulous time at Christina and Dan's wedding
83. Make lemonade from scratch
84. Stay at a bed and breakfast
85. Go to pony penning
86. Have a gait analysis done and buy proper running shoes
87. Watch a meteor shower
88. Send a message in a bottle
89. Harvest pecans from our tree
90. Finish painting privacy fence
91. Go on a last-minute vacation 
92. Bring in fresh flowers to work for a month
93. Give someone a gift for being awesome
94. Attend a literary supper
95. Attend Second Saturdays at the Foundry at least twice a year
96. Make Maryland Beaten Biscuits
97. Go vegetarian for a week
98. Perfectly cook salmon
99. Grow herbs inside
100. Put up blackout curtains in bedrooms
101. Spend an entire afternoon reading in the hammock

My Original 101 List

Life is what happens while we're making other plans.

Below is my original 101 list...

I will post my final updates to it as of July 1, 2013 - way after I was supposed to be finished. 

I'm coming up with a new 101 list and will post it in the coming days and weeks.

lauren's 101 list

Start date: May 16, 2007
End date: February 10, 2010

1. Apply for a scholarship to a 4 year institution

I never accomplished this, however I'm accepted to UMUC whenever I finally transfer my credits from AACC and register for classes.

2. Attend my 2nd cousins’ Christening & Emma’s birthday party in MA - COMPLETED 6/16/07

3. Audition for at least one show or film

I never accomplished this, although I don't think that I would have the time for it these days!

4. Back up my computer files - COMPLETED 8/14/2007

5. Beat Brian at a video game in an arcade - COMPLETED 10/15/2007

6. Buy a “word of the day” calendar, and use each word in a sentence each day for two weeks

Never accomplished this, but I like it. This may go on my new list.

7. Buy a birdfeeder (and utilize it)

Never did this and I'm not sure that I want to attract most of the birds that live in my neighborhood!

8. Buy a house

With as much money as we spent fixing up the one we have, we pretty much bought one. We do have a mortgage now, so I will count this as completed.

9. Buy an original piece of artwork

I've done this a few times

10. Buy another battery for my digital camera - COMPLETED 11/1/07

Of course now I have a DSLR, plus an extra battery and a growing collection of lenses. ;)

11. Change a diaper (sounds gross, but I’ve never done it!) - COMPLETED 6/16/07

12. Clean out Denton house

Completed, and I live there now!

13. Complete my AA degree

Completed in 2009.

14. Find the perfect margarita recipe

My girlfriends and I did this a while ago. Oddly enough, it contained beer!

15. Get a Bose sound dock station for my iPod - completed

16. Get a Brazilian wax - Completed 1/8/08 (not a true wax, but I'm getting a Brazilian laser treatment, close enough!)

17. Get a fish tank

Not sure if I really want to do this anymore.

18. Get a professional head shot done

If/when I complete #3, I'll do this.

19. Get an unplanned body treatment (facial, massage) while on vacation

I've done this a few times

20. Get my “dad” ring re-sized

I've never had it resized, but I've gained weight so now it fits. :-P I rarely wear it, sadly.

21. Get my arm tattoo removed - in process

That puppy is GONE! Most people can't tell it was ever there. Of course since then, I've gotten a new tattoo... however, I now know to think about what I'm putting on my body and to put it somewhere that it can be easily covered up.

22. Purchase new Phi Theta Kappa certificate

I have no idea how to do this. However, my AACC diploma has my Phi Theta Kappa seal and Magna Cum Laude designation.

23. Find new container for Dad

He's happy where he is, I think. However, I've made it my goal to spread a little of him whenever I go on vacation.

24. Go back to House Mountain Inn

There are more exciting places to go!

25. Go camping in Shenandoah

I think I've been camping there and other places since I came up with this.

26. Go fishing

I went fishing a few years ago... but it's going on my new list.

27. Go horseback riding - completed

Done this a few times as well... planning to go again later this year.

28. Go kayaking - Completed

29. Go on a Caribbean Cruise - Completed

I went on another cruise in February 2012.

30. Go out for karaoke with my coworkers

Did this at a sketchy bar in Federal Hill while I was still living there.

31. Go see a dermatologist

Never did this, although I don't think I have any suspicious moles.

32. Go see the Orioles play in another ballpark

Meh. I'll do it someday, but it's not that important.

33. Go swing dancing - completed

Jay and I took ballroom dancing classes

34. Go through old class books & notebooks (throw out or give away the ones I don’t need anymore) - completed

35. Go to a murder mystery dinner theatre

I still want to do this

36. Go to a play at my old high school - completed

37. Go to Little Havana for brunch with at least 10 friends - completed

38. Go white water rafting - COMPLETED 9/1/2007

39. Go without caffeine for a week

I've done this a few times

40. Go without eating out or getting take-out for a week

I'm pretty sure that I've done this as well

41. Go without eating sweets for an entire week (i.e. cake, cookies, candy bar)

I definitely did this when I was on Atkins

42. Go without using the internet for one week (modified from 2 weeks on 6/22/07)

I almost did this when I went to Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately there are just some things that you need the internet for, like checking bank balances while you're away and making sure bills get paid!

43. Hang out with my grandfather and talk about his life experiences (record them if possible)

Not sure if/when I'll do this. It's complicated.

44. Have a yard sale

I need to do this!

45. Have my aunt Mary over for dinner

I still want/need to do this!

46. Have my teeth professionally whitened

Any kind of whitener I've used has made my teeth hurt. I'll pass

47. Have the rough draft of a paper written two weeks before its due in class

No longer applicable!

48. Hike Old Rag

This is going on my new list

49. Host a game night

I've done this

50. Jog an entire mile without stopping to rest (sad as it is, I’ve never been able to do this) - completed

Did this when I was running regularly, but I'm going to do the Couch25k program.

51. Learn French (enough to be able to get through a day in Paris unassisted) - Completed 12/8/07

52. Take a flight lesson - completed

53. Learn to salsa - completed

54. Learn to ski - completed 1/26/08 (or thereabouts)

Yup, learned to ski and I hated it. Skiing is not for me.

55. Make a checklist, chart or flow chart of household chores to make life easier - COMPLETED 5/16/07

I need to get back into this so that we can keep the house clean.

56. Make a filing system for all of my important documents

Still need to do this

57. Make it to work on-time for an entire week – including having my make-up on when I arrive - completed for two weeks in a row, made it in early and the trend has continued! 2/2008

58. Meet with an advisor at AACC before 8/10/07 (to plan remaining schedule of classes) - COMPLETED 7/12/07

59. Open a brokerage account and start investing – including transferring my WTC stock - COMPLETED 11/12/07

Haha! This account now has $4 in it. Turns out I'm shitty at picking stocks. I'll stick with my 401k and leave the stock choosing to the professionals!

60. Open Champagne from France trip in 2006 - Completed 12/31/07

My new list will have open my chateauneuf du pape from my 2006 France trip on it.

61. Print out pictures from digital images and organize pictures into albums

My new goal is to make a photobook from my latest trip

62. Read “Driven to Distraction”

Apparently my ADD was too much to overcome, lol

63. Read my Aunt Dede’s book - completed 6/30/07

64. Re-learn how to play Chess

Still want to do this

65. Rent a Dragon boat and paddle around the harbor

Never did this

66. Ride a mechanical bull (I stole this idea from someone, but I wanna do it!)

Did this in my wedding dress on 12/11/10!

67. Ride the Ducks in a new city

I almost did this

68. See a drag show (where they use their real voices, not one of those fake ones)

Most drag shows are lip synched, it's hard to find one of these. However, I've been to a real drag show!

69. See Les Miserables on Broadway

Didn't get to this

70. See Phantom of the Opera on Broadway

Didn't get to this either

71. See the Redskins play the Cowboys both at home and away
I've become less of a football fan... I still enjoy watching it, but since I don't play fantasy anymore, it's lost some of the appeal

72. Sell Denton house

Well this never happened and I don't know if/when we'll ever sell it!

73. Send a letter or email to 3 people that I haven’t been in regular touch with - completed through facebook/myspace

74. Send a postcard to the owner of Le Voltaire Hotel in Arles

Yeah I never did this. Nancy went back and he didn't recognize her, so I won't even bother.

75. Send Rebecca a wedding present/card

Since she's had her first child and has been married for ~4 years, I would say that it's a little late for this.

76. Send Cheryl and Megan pictures from Amanda’s wedding

I don't even have their email addresses anymore.

77. Set work-out goals (i.e. 45 minutes of cardio 3x a week) and stick to them for at least one month - completed because of workout results during summer 2008, lost over 10 lbs

I've done well with this off and on over the years. 

78. Sing karaoke with a local celebrity

Done, kinda

79. Take a cooking class - completed, or close enough through ongoing fun in the kitchen

80. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park

Meh. Maybe one day

81. Take a yoga class

I used to go nearly every saturday morning at the Y. Need to get back into it.

82. Take an impromptu weekend trip (changed from an impromptu weekend trip to Europe on 9/26/08)

Changing this to impromptu beach weekend

83. Take Piper to get the rest of her shots in 2007 - COMPLETED - 8/27/2007

84. Take Stefani to Ruth’s Chris for dinner

Stef went vegetarian, met a guy, we had a falling out, etc, etc. Now I see her every once in a while. Maybe I can add this back on with a variation.

85. Sell MR2 - completed

86. Travel to Australia and visit Aunt Nancy

Well I just did this finally. :) Can't wait to go back!

87. Try electrolysis or laser hair removal - began treatments on ~1/8/08

Did laser hair removal. Should have spaced treatments out farther apart.

88. Try scrap booking (make at least one page) - Completed 7/11/07

Ugh, I am just not the scrapbooking type. Although I do like making photobooks. Anything that involves glue just seems too sticky.

89. Visit a winery in Maryland - completed

I'm not a big fan of Maryland wines. There. I said it.

90. Visit Disney World

My kids will be lucky if I ever take them.

91. Visit France again - Completed 12/8/07

I'm going to be changing this to visit Germany. I think that's next on our list.

92. Visit Key West again - completed

I need to get back there. This is going to get on my list

93. Visit Lake Tahoe again

Meh. Don't really care about Tahoe.

94. Visit my cousin Emily in Boise

I'd still like to do this, I just need to get my shit in order.

95. Visit Lehigh Valley, PA area to see if I might like to live there (changed from San Antonio, TX to Lehigh Valley, PA on 9/12/07) - COMPLETED 9/16/07 (SO GLAD THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN!)

96. Visit Stonehenge - COMPLETED 5/28/07

97. Visit the Air & Space Museum in Dulles

I'd still like to do this

98. Visit the Baltimore Aquarium

Maybe

99. Walk or bike the B&A trail around BWI

I've walked some of it

100. Watch the sun rise and set in the same day over the ocean

I'm pretty sure I've done this once or twice, at least I did it on the Whitsunday Getaway... although that was the Tasman Sea. Hmm.

101. Write a letter to the editor

I'd still like to do this sometime.