What Have I Done?

I love lists – To Do lists, What I Covet lists, Favorite XYZ lists. You get the picture. So imagine my pleasure at discovering this particular list, which I believe was started by Zen Goddess Jen but which I found at one of my regular stops – My LA Blog. The list remains the same for everyone. The items in BOLD are things which I have accomplished. The italicized items are still to be done. If you cross something out it means you’re committing to never doing it, ever. I’m a commitment phobe and have learned the hard why to never say never, so you will not see any crossed off items on my particular list. But yes, I did tweak the title a wee bit because, you know, it really is all about me.

1. Started your own blog. Obviously. You are reading it now.
2. Slept under the stars. Not yet without a tent or a roof between me and randomly falling objects.
3. Played in a band. I still have fantasies about being in a rock band, but since the only instrument I learned to play with any conviction was the piano and my voice is of the quality that would make even Paula cringe, I’m not quite sure how this one will manifest… Maybe Rock Band? I have yet to play it.
4. Visited Hawaii. Twice. Oahu and the Big Island of Hawai’i.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than I can afford to charity. Frequently. I’m a sucker for a sad story.
7. Been to Disneyland. I detest amusement parks. Too many little fiends children who should be killed have had too much sugar.
8. Climbed a mountain. Grew up in Colorado. My sweat has dripped on plenty of 14ers.
9. Held a praying mantis. I am willing to hold something that looks like a leaf. But I can’t promise I won’t crush it while it is in my hand.
10. Sang a solo. It was not a good thing. See #3 regarding my vocal talents.
11. Bungee Jumped. Have been wanting to do this for years, just haven’t gotten around to it yet.
12. Visited Paris. A few times. J’aime le Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught myself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child. My impulse would be to cross this one out, but I’m not entirely convinced I won’t someday want to give a needy child a loving home.
16. Had food poisoning. I’ve blocked out the details.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. A hell of a lot of stairs.
18. Grown my own vegetables. Haven’t played in a vegetable garden since I was a child, but I would love to have some tomato plants of my own next time I have a yard.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France. She is very small. And she has a weird look on her face.
20. Slept on an overnight train. Yep. Don’t recommend it. I woke up to find myself being robbed.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitchhiked. Numerous times. Only in Europe. Great way to meet guys.
23. Taken a sick day when I wasn’t ill.
24. Built a snow fort. Best part of a blizzard. Well, that and making snow angels.
25. Held a lamb. I’ve petted one though.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon. I won’t cross this one off. If I ever end up doing this, however, hell will have frozen over. I’m just saying.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice. Opted out of the singing though.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise and a sunset. I try to watch the sunset every day. Never disappoints. Sunrises usually happen a bit too early for me these days.
31. Hit a home run. I can barely hit the ball much less make it go any distance, but there’s always the chance of experiencing that one perfect moment when the universe is in synch.
32. Been on a cruise. This would not be a bad way to spend my 110s.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person. I’ve seen Iguacu Falls, though. Pretty damn awesome.
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors. Mostly. I’m a mutt, so there are a lot of places to visit. Ireland’s the only one left, though, and I may be able to check that off the list this very year. Will let you know.
35. Seen an Amish community. Did not see Kelly McGillis once.
36. Taught myself a new language. Portuguese. And smidgens of a few others.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person. A week before some crazy chopped off the dude’s toe.
41. Sung karaoke. As awful as you can imagine.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt. A big thank you to my parents for loading us into the car every summer for road trips across the lower 48.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant. No, but look forward to doing that once #37 is met.
44. Visited Africa. Planned a trip to Egypt but then we bombed Baghdad, the first time, so it was scrapped. Many African countries are on my Must See list.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight. I live in Southern California. It would be criminal of me not to have done this many, many times.
46. Been transported in an ambulance. I passed out in a Baja Fresh and wouldn’t wake up. I was very thirsty. The uniformed boys were very nice once I became coherent but were mean and wouldn’t let me sleep at first. Not the smoothest ride ever.
47. Had my portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing. Given how I responded to night fishing, this is not going to happen in the near future.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person. That Michael dude knows how to draw.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Nice, but there are many, many other things I’d rather spend my time doing in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving and snorkeling. Love snorkeling. Have done it in Hawaii and Indonesia. Scuba diving is still very much on my list of things to do.
52. Kissed in the rain. Delightful if done right. If done wrong, dump the dude. Water up the nose is not romantic.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class. Someday, I will know how to crush your eyeballs, gonads, and kidneys all at the same time. Hear me roar!
59. Visited Russia. I must increase my tolerance for vodka.
60. Served at a soup kitchen. Every Thanksgiving I plan to do this but then get distracted by a large table of overflowing food served by friends or family. I may be a bad person.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies. I have bought plenty, though. Shouldn’t that count?
62. Gone whale watching. I keep forgetting, and then they are gone.
63. Got flowers for no reason. Always a pleasure.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma. Blood.
65. Gone sky diving. Free fall is amazing. The rest of it, not my thing.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp. A few of them. Fucking depressing.
67. Bounced a check. Just last week, thank you very much.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. I am very sentimental.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar. Salty. Would rather eat sushi.
72. Pieced a quilt. Yep, I made a few quilts using the log cabin pattern. I was in an Arts & Crafts phase. It has passed.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades. We should really stop destroying them.
75. Been fired from a job. I really, really suck as a waitress.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London. Would not want that job.
77. Broken a bone. Collar bone. Jewish camp. Touch football. Don’t like religion.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. See #22.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. Successfully puked blueberry muffin over the side of it too. How many folks can say that, hum?
80. Published a book. Open for bids and proposal ideas.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car. Just paid it off last year – Boo-Ya!
83. Walked in Jerusalem. Look forward to doing that when there’s a peace settlement.
84. Had my picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible. Heard there are some interesting horror stories.
86. Visited the White House. Smelled too much like the previous night’s gin to get the private tour but loved getting frisked by the Secret Service.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. Someday, I WILL eat a cricket. I’ve heard they taste like chicken.
88. Had chickenpox. Very mild case, thank god. I am not kind when I am sick.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous. I live in LA and work in the Entertainment Industry for god’s sake.
92. Joined a book club. Love it. Only chance I have any more to read books.
93. Lost a loved one. Funerals are very strange affaires.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person. It’s a fort.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake. Never even occurred to me to do this. Now, it has.
97. Been involved in a law suit. I won.
98. Owned a cell phone. I think this item is hear to make people feel good about themselves even if they’ve done nothing with their lives.
99. Been stung by a bee. I prefer butterflies.
100. Read an entire book in one day. One of the best ways to spend a rainy day. Must be done in bed or at least under a very comfy blanket. Preferably while one is still in one’s pajamas.

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