Tuesday, June 21, 2011

My (Very, Very Long) Bucket List

  1. Go to all 50 states
  2. Go to Disney Land
  3. Go to Disney World
  4. Go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
  5. See the 7 wonders of the world (or however many there are)
  6. Go to Europe
  7. Go to Australia
  8. Go to Mexico
  9. Go to Canada
  10. Go to South America
  11. Go to Africa
  12. Go to a luau
  13. Write at least one book
  14. Host a masquerade birthday party
  15. Be a voiceover in a movie
  16. Have a chocolate party
  17. Go to a spa
  18. Get my own place
  19. Get a boyfriend
  20. Get married
  21. Have children
  22. Adopt
  23. Become a baker
  24. Become a special education teacher
  25. Volunteer with the Special Olympics
  26. Participate in the Summer Olympics (horseback riding or biking)
  27. Make my own clothes
  28. Make my own purses
  29. Make my own hats
  30. Make my own jewelry
  31. Skydive
  32. Meet Johnny Depp
  33. Meet Andrea Bocelli
  34. Meet Celtic Woman
  35. Meet Celtic Thunder
  36. Meet Daniel Radcliffe
  37. Meet Emma Watson
  38. Meet Rupert Grint
  39. Meet Robbie Coltrane
  40. Live on a farm
  41. Raise horses
  42. Have a flower bed
  43. Grow fruits and vegetables
  44. Swim with dolphins
  45. Learn how to do cartwheels
  46. Go bunjee jumping
  47. Learn to juggle
  48. See the Ringling Brothers/Barnum and Bailey Circus
  49. Watch a Cirque de Soleil performance
  50. See Wicked
  51. See The Lion King performance
  52. Learn Italian
  53. Learn French
  54. Learn Spanish
  55. Learn German
  56. Learn Sign Language
  57. Learn Russian
  58. Learn to play the piano
  59. Learn to play the flute
  60. Learn to play the clarinet
  61. Learn to play the saxophone
  62. Learn to play the cello
  63. Pick up the violin again
  64. Pick up the guitar again
  65. Sleep in the yard
  66. Learn to crochet
  67. Have a sleepover
  68. Have a water balloon fight
  69. Become a photographer (maybe professional)
  70. Donate money to St. Jude's Childrens Hospital
  71. Donate money to the ASPCA
  72. Watch a sunset
  73. Watch a sunrise
  74. Have a picnic in the park
  75. Go to concerts by favorite artists
  76. Learn to draw
  77. Learn to paint
  78. Take pottery classes
  79. Become more outgoing
  80. Make picture CDs for my friends and family
  81. Make mix CDs for my friends and family
  82. Live in another country for up to a year
  83. Redecorate my current bedroom
  84. Get an iPad
  85. See the Grand Canyon
  86. See Niagra Falls
  87. Have a pool party
  88. Host a clothes swap
  89. Host a clothing drive
  90. Get my driver's license
  91. Learn to surf
  92. Swim in the ocean
  93. Learn to water ski
  94. Learn to jet ski
  95. Visit Cape Canaveral (I hope I spelled it right)
  96. Walk through a rainforest
  97. Visit a waterfall
  98. Go on a sleigh ride
  99. Create a board game
  100. Ride a gondola in Venice
  101. Ride in a helicopter
  102. Learn to play tennis
  103. Take horseback riding lessons
  104. Go horseback riding along the beach
  105. Learn to snowboard
  106. Swim in all of the Great Lakes
  107. Get over my fear of heights
  108. Become a black belt in Karate
  109. Try fencing
  110. Take a basic self-defense class
  111. Go see an opera
  112. Learn Hebrew
  113. Learn to play the drums
  114. Take singing lessons
  115. Write my own music
  116. Meet Josh Groban
  117. Go to a Josh Groban concert
  118. Learn to dance
  119. Jump off a cliff into deep water
  120. Got white water rafting
  121. Ride in a hot air balloon
  122. Go on a zip line
  123. Walk through a corn maze
  124. Go zorbing
  125. Ride the London Eye
  126. Watch a rocket launch live
  127. Go whale-watching
  128. See a koala bear
  129. See a panda bear
  130. See a kangaroo
  131. Go on an African safari
  132. Ride a camel
  133. Swim with the manatees
  134. Read a book in one day
  135. See the Northern lights
  136. Visit Yosemite National Park
  137. See Christ the Redeemer statue
  138. Visit the Parthenon
  139. Visit the Acropolis
  140. Visit the statues of Easter Island
  141. Visit the pyramids in Egypt
  142. Visit the Stonehenge
  143. Visit the Sydney Opera House
  144. Visit Big Ben
  145. Visit St. Peter's Basilica
  146. Visit the Notre Dame Cathedral
  147. Visit Machu Piccu
  148. Visit the Colisseum
  149. Visit the Great Wall of China
  150. Visit the Taj Mahal
  151. See the Mona Lisa painting
  152. See the Madonna painting
  153. See The Scream painting
  154. Visit Mecca
  155. Visit Israel
  156. Visit the Eiffel Tower
  157. Visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa
  158. Visit the Blarney Stone
  159. Climb the Statue of Liberty
  160. See the Empire State Building
  161. Visit the Hershey Chocolate Facorty in Pennsylvania
  162. Ride a steamboat down the Mississippi River
  163. Visit the Coney Island Boardwalk
  164. Visit the Four Corners
  165. See the Bean in Chicago
  166. See an Irish castle
  167. See a Scottish castle
  168. See an English castle
  169. Ride a cable car in San Francisco
  170. Go to the National Cherry Blossom Festival
  171. Go to a New Orleans Mardi Gras festival
  172. Learn calligraphy
  173. Learn embroidery
  174. Learn to quilt
  175. Learn to sew
  176. Learn not to take things personally
  177. Develop better self-esteem/confidence
  178. Meet JK Rowling
  179. Save money for the future
  180. Go on a shopping spree
  181. Be a foster parent
  182. Have a chapel in my own place
  183. Have my own pool
  184. Have my own library
  185. Have my own gym
  186. Have a tree house in the backyard
  187. Meet the Pope
  188. Take up yoga
  189. Live a life of no regrets
  190. Learn to meditate
  191. Join AmeriCorps or PeaceCorps
  192. Build a Habitat for Humanity House
  193. Join Big Brother/Big Sister
  194. Volunteer at an animal shelter
  195. Start a charity
  196. Start a bakery
  197. Invent something
  198. Be a spectator at the summer Olympics
  199. Go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
  200. See the Radio City Christmas Spectacular
  201. Win the lottery
  202. Take acting classes
  203. Have my portrait painted
  204. Learn to do a backflip
  205. Ride a Segway
  206. Get a henna tattoo
  207. Get a massage
  208. Learn one new world every day for a year

More Favorite Things

  • A warm, comfy bed
  • Smiles
  • Making someone's day
  • Compliments
  • Hugs
  • Stars in the sky
  • Shooting stars
  • Rainbows
  • Waterfalls
  • Polar bears
  • Popcorn with lots of butter
  • Balloons
  • Sleep masks
  • Nature
  • Making new friends
  • Glitter
  • Lace
  • The color purple
  • S'mores
  • Origami
  • Strawberry-banana smoothies/shakes
  • Claire's Boutique
  • The Italian language
  • The French Language
  • The Spanish language
  • Purses
  • The Museum of Science and Industry
  • The Adler Planetarium
  • The Brookfield Zoo
  • Science
  • Astronomy
  • Girl Scouts
  • Things that glow in the dark
  • Making things out of clay and then painting them
  • Making lists (I know this one is weird, but I love lists)
  • Getting a phone call, email or text message from a friend
  • Strawberries
  • Bananas
  • Bagels and cream cheese
  • Brussels sprouts (yes, I said Brussels sprouts)
  • Banana boats (bananas with the middle scooped out, filled with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, and cooked for a few minutes)
  • Candles
  • TGI Friday's
  • Reed diffusers
  • The Rainforest Cafe
  • Dyeing eggs for easter
  • Tie-dying clothes
  • Running through the sprinkler
  • Sudoku
  • Stickers
  • Butterflies
  • Learning something new
  • England
  • Puzzles, especially 3-D ones
  • Children
  • Vision boards
  • Olympics (Go USA!!!)
  • Sleeping late
  • Gardening
  • Helping people
  • Praying
  • Scrapbooking
  • Sitting on the porch in the evening
  • Cake Boss (TV show)

My Favorite Things

  • Friends
  • Family
  • Animals
  • Books/reading
  • Writing
  • Traveling
  • Shopping
  • Swimming
  • Music
  • Dancing like no one is watching
  • Walking/playing in a rainstorm
  • The smell after a rainstorm
  • Flowers
  • Chocolate
  • Children
  • Arts and crafts
  • Lazy summer days
  • Volunteering
  • Donating blood/bone marrow
  • Ice cream
  • Pasta
  • Italy
  • Ireland
  • Scotland
  • Andrea Bocelli
  • Celtic Thunder
  • Celtic Woman
  • Irish music
  • Block parties
  • Baking
  • Board/card/video games
  • Laughing
  • Movies
  • Johnny Depp
  • Christian music
  • God
  • Journaling/blogging
  • hot chocolate on cold days
  • Lemonade on warm days
  • Knitting/crocheting
  • Jewelry
  • Clothing
  • Horseback riding
  • Girls' Life Magazine
  • American Girl Magazine, Dolls and Store
  • Discovery Girls Magazine
  • Kiki Magazine
  • Floppy hats
  • Photography
  • Musicals
  • Doodling
  • Getting mail from friends and family
  • Taking a long relaxing bath or shower
  • Massages
  • Yoga
  • Birthdays
  • The Chicago White Sox
  • Sandals
  • Tank tops
  • Crayons
  • Markers
  • Colored pencils

Thursday, June 16, 2011

A Friend in Need

I found out today that a friend of mine lost her dad to a drunk driver. I am sorry for her loss, but I'm also angry that the person was stupid enough to get behind the wheel and drive. Thanks to that person, my friend has to live with the grief and anger of losing her dad this way.

I hate it when people think they can drive after they've had drinks.  I know their judgment is impaired after drinking, but I don't get why they are allowed to get behind the wheel when they're drunk. It just gets me angry.

I wonder how that person feels, knowing that he has killed someone. I hope he feels tons and tons of remorse, guilt and shame. I hope he's put in jail for a long while, so he can think about what he's done. My friend and her family does not need to go through this. She is one of the most wonderful people I know, and I am fortunate to be considered one of her friends. She does NOT deserve this.

I will be leaving my phone on all night, probably for several nights, for my friend, if she wanted to talk at night. She was there for me when my mom died, so I'm repaying the favor for her. She desperately needs friends and family right now.

I know what she is going through, so I can shed a little light on her situation, if she has any questions for me. I'm just angry that there are people out there who drink and drive, and think that's ok. They don't really care about anything if they do that. I don't mind if people want to have a good time, but drinking doesn't have to be a part of that.

This is why I don't drink. Or, rarely drink. I don't want to put other lives in danger, because of my actions. I hate seeing people suffer, especially if it's friends and family. I just want to scream at the top of my lungs, because life is just so unfair. I know I can't change what has happened, but I wish I could tell people NOT TO DRINK AND DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what happens when you do. You jeopardize your life, and others' lives as well. You could end up killing someone, or yourself. You could cause a lot of grief, anger, and confusion. I wish I could ask this person why he did what he did. And how he feels. I really want to make him feel bad for what he did. But, I can't. That's ok, though. I don't want to cause anymore problems than there already are.

I really wish my friend wasn't going through all this crap. It's not fair. I hope the person who caused this finds it in his heart to apologize (even though that isn't enough for what has happened), and to feel bad for what he has done. If he doesn't feel sorry/bad about his actions, then he doesn't have a heart, and he is a  MONSTER. He doesn't deserve to live, if that is the case.

Sorry for going on like this, but I needed to let it out. Thanks for listening.