the bucket list

This has been a work in progress for a couple of months now.  So I'm going to finally hit "publish" and go with it.   These are things that I hope I can accomplish in my lifetime; maybe I will, maybe I won't but trying to check at least some of these off sure will be fun (and gratifying)!

• decorate my own house.
• live in a house I love for longer than 10 years. 
• keep a job I love for longer than 10 years. 
• fall in love again. and not take it for granted. 
• stay married to the same person for at least 35 years!
• get married by Elvis.
  
• climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Breathe.
• kiss at the top of the Empire State Building. 
• kiss in the rain.
• zip line ... wweeeeee!
• read the presidential biographies.  All of them.
• eat Sunday brunch at the Waldorf Astoria. 
• see the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.
• sing "You are my Sunshine" to my grandchild.
• know true love.  Know true friendship.  Share both with someone else.
• visit the dinosaurs at a natural history museum with Elliot.
• take Elliot to the Statue of Liberty.
• get a cliche tattoo on my wrist or behind my ear.
• get my neck done.
• walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
• walk the Golden Gate Bridge.
• go paragliding.
• take a HUGE risk! (and don't regret it)
• see the great pyramids.
• go to Greece.
• stand inside the Roman Colosseum.
• go ice skating in Rockefeller Plaza (or Central Park).
• throw a dart at the map and go wherever it lands.
• take someone I love to the ground zero site and tell them how much I appreciate them.
• ride in a hot air balloon.
• spend the night at a haunted mansion/house.
• drive from coast to coast.
• see Mount Rushmore.
• hike the Grand Canyon.
• stand under the Hollywood sign! 
• visit the giant Buddhas (those that are left).
• go to the San Diego zoo.
• go on a tour of famous baseball parks.
• take a picnic in a national park.
• give in to wanderlust!
• understand and enjoy financial freedom (even if just for a moment).
• visit all 50 states.
• have something published.
• visit Spain during the running of the bulls.
• help a friend start a business.
• be a volunteer after a natural disaster.
• experience Burning Man.
• attend Bonnaroo and/or SxSW
• publish something.
• forgive myself.
• go to a show on Broadway.
• go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
• own a pair of Louboutins.
• find and ride the largest roller coaster in the US.
• experience the Northern Lights in Alaska.

30 days - $0 spend challenge

I might be picking the hardest month of the year to do this, but I'm going to do it.  For an entire month, I am not going to spend any money on non-essential items; only necessary food and transportation, shelter and utilities.  Consider caution thrown.  I'm not even going to read that much about it.  I'm just going to commit to doing it and take the rest of today to prepare for it.  And to hold myself accountable: I'm going to blog about it right here. 

Goal: April 1 - April 30 spend = $0

Elliot's Spring Break 2012

Has it really been 3/4 of a school year already? Have we really already had a fall break and a Christmas break? No snow days this year though; hell, there hasn't even been a winter really.  But here we are, right smack in the middle of Spring Break.  Just had St. Patrick's Day and we're staring into the Easter Bunny's beady little eyeballs.  Trees are blossoming, tulips have long-since bloomed and everyone's already complaining of allergies.  So yeah, it must be spring.  And as far as the school calendar is concerned, its Spring Break. 

On Tuesday we set a goal for ourselves: go to the Zoo and see 1) the penguins (because they are our favorites) and 2) see the kimodo dragon (because if there was one at our zoo we had never seen him before).  The weather was spectacular! So ... out we went.

Of course we were not disappointed.  The penguins and puffins were their usual fantastic selves.  And we did a kimodo dragon - one very large one no doubt.  Elliot told me (and everyone around us) all about how they are most like dinosaurs on earth today.  We also got a chance to watch a Jamaican Boa squeeze the life out of two white mice and then devour them! Wouldn't have been on my list of things to do for the afternoon, but I will admit it was fascinating to watch.

 

Wednesday was a bit windy, but we went out for a round of mini-golf anyway.  We had been driving by a place for a couple of weeks now that just got new 'greens' so we knew they were all ready for us! And Elliot was really interested in the different attractions they have set up at each hole: a gorilla, a train, The Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty, etc.  I picked out a green ball.  Elliot of course chose red (as if there is a choice for him).  He even picked a putter with a red grip.  And off we went.

eek! hair brush anyone?

 Now just between me and you, I'll let you in on a little secret: last year I took E to the driving range several times and we worked on his stance and swing.  He got frustrated pretty easily, as did I, but we never really talked much about putting or even scoring for that matter.  Just grip, stance, swing - fundamentals.  So while playing mini golf, I reiterated grip, stance and swing; I even stood behind him and helped him position his hands on the club the first few times.  We talked about the flat face of the club and the direction of the ball.  We talked about aiming towards the hole.  But not until somewhere around the 8th hole did I realize that he thought the HIGHER score won! Oops.  Yes, I had let him down there.  But on the back nine he did great at holding to a consistent 3-putt with the exception of two holes: one he shot a 4 on, and the other was the last hole that he shot a hole-in-one because he thought he was going to get free Ted Drewe's Frozen Custard!

None the less, what a fun time! And the best part - another little secret Elliot would NOT like me telling .... is that in the car on the way home, he said, "you know mom, I didn't really act very sportsmanlike back there when I got upset about my score."  At that moment, I couldn't have cared whether he scored 18 holes-in-one, I was the proudest mom in the world! That kid never, ever ceases to amaze me.

Friday's weather started out a bit stormy so we looked for something inside to do.  We'd been talking about an exhibit at the History Museum for a while now and I knew it was close to leaving, so we decided to give it a try.  Turns out, little dude's review of it when we left was "awesome! much better than I thought it was gonna be!" - and nothing could have been better for me to hear than that!


The exhibit was Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age and it was brought here from the Fields Museum in Chicago (our closest natural history museum).  Now Elliot knows most everything there is to know about the time periods leading up to the Ice Age, and everything about dinosaurs, but we haven't heard much from him about mammoths and mastodons.  Until now.  That's one thing I love about Elliot: when he is interested in something, he immerses himself in it and learns as much as he can about it!

battling an advancing male

controlling a robotic trunk

Perhaps the best thing about the exhibit was how interactive it was so to keep the attention of kids like Elliot.  He was able to control a robotic trunk, touch all of the replicas, play games (with poop of course), pretend to be an advancing male mammoth in battle with another, and use a laser to help draw on the cave walls at Lascaux and kill even an attacking predator lion.  All while learning about the culture of Ice Age man and the animals that lived with them - both protecting them and sustaining them. 

house rules

Elliot and I moved last weekend.  We both like the new apartment a lot: he because there are two kids to play with in the downstairs apartment, and I because I love living in the city, especially in an old rehabbed house with so many amazing details. 

So last night Elliot and I were talking about fresh starts and how we are in a sense getting to start over.  We decided that we would write some rules for our new place - together.  I am having it printed into a poster and we are going to frame it and post it over the front door as a constant reminder for ourselves.  This is what we wrote:

In this house, we:

are not perfect. remind each other that life will sometimes be difficult, but it will always somehow be okay. Always say 'I love you.' Never go to bed angry. Speak to each other with respect. Are grateful and kind. Say please and thank you. Try again tomorrow. Say what we mean and mean what we say. Push ourselves to end of our comfort zones. Apologize when we are wrong. Dance. Sing. Smile. Laugh. Play. Read. Do. Be. believe that something wonderful is about to happen. Hold our heads high. Listen. Love animals. Love life. Love each other.

30 random thoughts I had today

1. Laughter really is the best medicine. Especially for the soul. And especially as a gift to someone else.

2. I like smell of skunks. No, not weed. Skunks - real ones! 

3. It's ok to give up for today as long as you start back up tomorrow.

4. I dare you to take a provocative picture of yourself and txt it to a random phone number.  If you get a reply, good for you! Hopefully you'll get a corresponding pic!

5. If I were a conversation heart, I'd like to remain blank.  Just let people eat their sugary heart in quiet.  Seems like there is enough noise and conversation and people trying to be heard in the world. 

6. Something big is ahead for me. I just hope I catch up to it in time to find out what it is.

7. I've been catching up on my tv series since I've been out of work. It's especially sad that I actually miss the characters when I get to the end of a series. That, and I really don't know what to do with myself.

8. Sometimes I forgive people simply because it's easier.

9. Forgiving myself is the hardest thing I may ever do.

10. Best quote ever: "unless it's mad, passionate, extraordinary love, it's a waste of time. There are too many mediocre things in life. Love shouldn't be one of them."

11. A little rebellion every now and then is a good thing.

12. Every year I check a few things off the 'bucket list' and yet it keeps growing.

13. Hello Kitty makes me happy. As do little skulls and cross bones. And puppies.  Oh, and shoes, of course! And silver bobbles from Tiffany's. And cupcakes.

14. I hope that when all is said and done my past makes me a better person. Not a bitter bitch.

15. All the inspirational quotes talk about taking chances. I've certainly taken mine. And it's not been a pleasant journey. But I can say with great sincerity that I have little reservation about taking new chances should they present themselves now. Perhaps that's not me being positive and progressive but instead practicing insanity.

16. I try to approach life with a good sense of humor. Sometimes though, I'm just entertaining myself.  

17. One of the greatest icons of my life was never a feminist. Ms Audrey Hepburn wanted no part of the culture that defined a generation of her peers.

18. I don't know why but sometimes I feel guilty or embarrassed about being crafty. As if being crafty is the bastard cousin to high art and I have images to uphold. How 80s-NYC-art-world-Andy/Julian of me!!

19. There is no more beautiful a sound than Elliot's voice singing flat and off key the mis-pronounced words of a song he's heard on the radio when he thinks no one is listening.

20. I really love my family. And I am loved.

21. It has not been the accumulation of stuff that's made me feel accomplished. It's actually accomplishing something.

22. Legos are awesome.

23. Legs are awesome.

24. I like this mantra: 'strong is the new skinny'. Thanks Nike.

25. I believe in the fairy dust and magic.  I know what happens when I think good thoughts or when I click my heels three times.  

26. Pain is an excellent catalyst for change. I just wish it didn't hurt so much.

27. Enough with the mustaches and beards already people!

28. Sitcoms.  22 minutes of canned laughter, predictable comedic story lines, and an occasional belly laugh ... what else could a girl ask for from her television?

29. Karma is like a mobster when it comes to getting what's due!

30. My dog, Princess Lola Muffin, really is this (wo)man's best friend.  B.E.S.T.

the daily shoot, my two cents

A friend recently shared a Japanese article about the"art" of shooting a photo a day called "10 Thing I Learnt from Daily Shooting."  While I agree with the ten points (mostly) the author/photog makes, I thought I might create my own narrative to each "learnting".  :)


1. Do or Do Not ... There is NO Try!
Black or white.  No gray.  I can work with that.  But dammit, there are still days that I don't LIKE my work.  That can't mean that I have not done ... it just means that I am not finished. 

2. Bring your camera everywhere.
No worries here.  This has literally been my motto since I started the photo 365 project last year.  Its like my right arm, an extension of me.  My friends and family know to expect it.  Its just what I do.  And its paid off so many times just to have it with me.  You really do never know what you're going to come across at any point in the day, wherever you are going.  And when I'm not going anywhere, one of the best things about the photo 365 project has been looking at my world, my life, my surroundings in new ways and finding new ways to present the same-old-same-old.

3. Take pictures of people.
This is my new goal.  I have been afraid to do this so far, but I'm gonna do it.  Dammit!


4. The less gear you carry, the more photos you take.
I don't have a lot of gear, so this is pretty easy for me.  Sometimes just the camera on my phone is enough ... the idea for me [most of the time] isn't to create a Pulitzer prize winning photo, but instead to document a moment in time.  I find that its when I try the least that those amazing pics reveal themselves on their own.  

5. Force yourself to shoot one lens for a week.
Again, I don't have more than one lens unless you count the one I borrowed from my friend, Bob.  And today I broke mine and only have my friend Bob's lens.  So this one should be easy.

6. Develop a personal style.
This one is a tough one.  Like writing.  It doesn't seem [to me] like something you strive for or set as a goal ... it just is.  It may or may not be apparent and may require some nurturing, but its inherent.  Like whether someone is a dog or a cat person.  You can't force it.  You can simply develop it, but first you must recognize it.

7. Shoot out of airplane windows.
Done.  But honestly, there's only so much you can get at 30k feet.  Just be ready should today's flight experience unexpected turbulence (or other surprises).

8. Try new things.
This was my only New Year's Resolution for 2011 and extends far beyond my photographic endeavors.

9. Shoot at night.
Requires a study in lighting, apertures and all that technical stuff, but well worth it!

10. Backup everything!
In the process right now.  Not only do I have a physical back-up, but I also have started storing at least my photo 365 project pics on flickr as a backup storage source.

the Companion Garden

Recently, while seeking solace under the guise of photo searching, I ran across a site that made me chuckle; its a site that I have come to think about several times since that day so I figure its noteworthy enough to share.  You don't have to know me to know that I love a good sense of humor, so to find one that is memorialized in granite is most enjoyable.  I hope that when I am gone, someone remembers to close my scene with at least a smile [I prefer some sort of sarcastic final say, but I'll take an ironic quip if that's what it comes to]. 

In this case, however, I wandered through and spent an inordinate amount of time tending to the the tragic 'babyland' graves up the hill into a section of the cemetery called "Companion Garden."  I hadn't thought much about that name until I came to the sign that designated that area: a beautifully carved stone with modern print lettering, set atop an elongated stacked stone wall, at a fork in the road.  Yep.  That's right.  The sign for the Companion Garden sits at a fork in the road.  And that is where I could no longer contain myself; I laughed so hard I was doubled over; so hard that in fact, I began to cry.  Perhaps it was the build up of stress over the weeks prior coupled with the stories I had begun to devise over at the 'babyland' graves; whatever caused it, it was a flood of emotion: laughter and tears.  I stood on the road, to the right of the sign and pondered for a while whose decision it might have been to install such a sign.  In such a place.  And then I began to notice the signs in the other parts of the cemetery - they were not stone with any level of elaboration; they were green metal signs with gold letters stuck into the ground with stakes.  This was the ONLY sign in the entire cemetery that had any prominence.  And its at the fork in the road.  The place where decisions must be made to progress - left or right? uphill or down? into the shade or into the sunlight? I don't know who put the sign there, but I am sure that hundreds of people drive by it every year and don't notice; but I hope that just one person, like me, notices tomorrow.