Thing's I didn't even remember I wanted to do - third time's the charm

Any long time followers of my blog will remember that I have an ongoing list of things that I would like to accomplish/do in my lifetime.  It's one of those lists that you kind of forget about and by the time you get around to revisiting you realize, "Holy Shit, I've actually done some of this stuff."

That is always a welcome surprise. This time around I actively worked to accomplish one of the to-do's and the outcome my Pin-Up photos was so much better than I could have expected.  So here is my latest update...slowly but surely I am checking them all off, and it feels so good!

The Latest Done List -

√ Start embellishing my own clothes - I recently started to put little touches on accessories and it's beyond addicting.  I've come to realize that I can actually make most of the cute things that I always spend so much money on.  Who needs to dish out the dough when I can just make it myself :-)

√ Foster stray dogs - This one is only halfsies, because technically they aren't dogs they are cats.  But I currently feed and care for four.  Lola, Whiney, Our Cat and Vader.  Our Cat is harder to keep track of but the other three show up twice a day for food, water and some loving.

Lola on the far left, Whiney in the middle and Vader on the right eating their dinner

√ Watch less TV and spend more time on my hobbies - I gave up a bunch of my shows late last year in order to make more time for living.  And have since picked up more hobbies/side projects than I know what to do with.  But they're fun and keep me busy.

√ Stop drinking soda full stop - Technically this was done for me when I developed kidney stones, but having said that I am really enjoying my soda free life.  I drink so much water its crazy and even indulge in juice on occasion.  I'm such a rebel!

√ Take Pin-Up photos - This was one of those great experiences.  I have never felt as beautiful as I did upon seeing those photos.

√ Move somewhere that I actually like - Who would have thought that moving to North Beach would make such a difference in my life.  But I really love it.  I love my little apartment with Teresa and now the Gerbil, I love sitting outside in the afternoons feeding the cats, I love going to the beach and laying out.  And I love having so many friends so close that they can just drop by unannounced for a BBQ or an afternoon of hanging out.

√ Write something for myself, just because I want to - This became a big goal of mine this year.  And within the last few months I have taken on several freelance writing jobs and made myself  happy in the process by writing because I wanted. 

Done but not forgotten 

√ Move on - I think any readers that are still around from when the blog started will remember the day I posted about this...it was a great moment to realize that I could be happy again.

√ Create my own embroidery patterns - I just did this for the first time this week, it was fun and challenging. Please Sir, May I have some more.

√ Fall in love with someone who can't live without me – It’s funny how people come in and out of your life and then you realize their purpose…Damian, yours is to be my other half.  You were mine from go and we had our own language from the moment we started talking.

√Play in the snow, like for real not the 1/2 an inch I played in - I've never been one to be childish and uninhibited...in NY this past February I couldn't help it.

√  Sell my nonsense on Etsy - I'm in the process of creating my store and getting stuff out there and I couldn't be more excited even if I don't sell a damn thing. 

√Kiss in the rain – The ex-boyfriend made this happen for me on my first visit to Montgomery. It was coming down, we were in his backyard listening to the crickets it was an excellent memory I will always cherish with him.

√Wake up when the alarm clock goes off - I still can't believe I did this. (although today I was 30 minutes late to work)

√ Do one thing just because it feels good, even if it’s not the right thing - I still can't believe I did this either. Oh CacaBear!

√ Show up to works 10 minutes early - Rare, but it's happened a few times in the last year. The look of shock on my bosses face is priceless.

√ Visit my grandmother more often – I love spending time with my grandmother and as she gets older I appreciate the moments I get with her even more.  I have taken advantage of those moments this year.

√  Send out holiday cards to all my friends and family - I wanted to make this happen 2 years in a row but I guess doing it once still counts for something, we did this again this year.  What!!!

√ Hold a lizard in my hand, most likely a tiny, tiny, tiny baby -  This just happened yesterday.  My sister caught a lizard in a napkin and asked if I wanted to release it and while it was technically in the napkin this is a HUGE stride for me in overcoming my fear.  I felt a rush of happiness once I successfully released the little guy in the backyard.

√ Try Yoga - And I love it.

√ Have someone ask me to dance when there is no music playing – The ex-boyfriend used to love doing this in his empty apartment.

√Take a spur of the moment trip – Austin.  Pure Joy.

√ Make the ultimate mix tape – I did this for the ex-bf’s Valentine’s present and he absolutely loved it, it included a song book with the reasoning behind each selection.  It was perfection.

√ Start reviewing books – I started and then I stopped, must continue.

√ Go on a vacation with close friends and don't worry about my regularly scheduled life while there- I've been lucky enough to do this twice now. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.

√ Swim in open ocean without wrapping myself around someone's neck (I know I'm ridiculous, damn Jaws!) - I still wouldn't put my back to open ocean but being able to be a grown up in the ocean was pretty awesome.

√  Get a tattoo - I've gotten three and the fourth is in the works, so is my quarter sleeve. I love that I've been able to find another way to express myself.

The Pending To Do List  

·  Live in a different country

·  Learn to drive

·  Open my own bookstore

·  Spend more time on my photography

·  Learn to play the piano

·  Learn proper French, not the crap I know

·  Spend a night under the stars

·  Take my mother to Egypt

·  Take a road trip across the US

·  Visit Cuba with my family ·  Volunteer at an animal habitat

·  Marry a nerdy, funny and adorable boy

·  Spend at least a month on my honeymoon

·  Start a family

·  Give said family (boys and girls) mini-hawks

·  Start riding my bike around the neighborhood to run errands

·  Love up a koala bear

·  Learn to ski

·  Read the complete works of William Shakespeare

·  Memorize sonnets

·  See Elton John in concert

·  Finish college

·  Practice random acts of kindness

·  Ski in Switzerland

·  Have a garden

·  Skinny dip

·  Live in the moment

·  Go on safari in Africa

·  Finally take a spin in my super awesome roller skates

·  Volunteer at a retirement home

·  Jump in puddles

·  Have better posture

·  Live one winter in a cold, snowy place

·  Write a song

·  Learn to ride a horse

·  Go on a picnic at least once a month

·  Paint for the sake of painting

·  Watch every Audrey Hepburn movie made

·  Spend a month in India

·  Document my life in photos

·  Give up cheese for one month, just to say that I can do it

·  Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity

·  Read every X-men comic ever written

·  Volunteer at a food bank for Thanksgiving

·  Don't over think everything

·  Watch all 6 Star Wars movies in chronological order over 2 days

·  Read the entire LOTR series

·  Find that perfect house

·  Become a librarian

·  Take a trip with my sister to somewhere amazing

·  Read one book a week for one year

·  Adopt a dog

·  Go camping in the backyard