Memorial Day

First off I want to wish everyone a blessed Memorial Day particularly to all the loved ones of those who have perished protecting our freedoms. They have sacrificed so much for us and let us never forget how blessed we are today because of the men and women who have sacrificed to fight for the sake of our country and the freedoms presented to us. Secondly to all of those who have served or are currently served, Thank You!!! I am so blessed in what you are doing, and just want to honor you and offer my gratitude for all you have and continue to do for our country.
Now I wonder who really knows any of the history of Memorial Day, when and where it originated or why? Sadly not too much is known by the vast majority of people and it has become little more than a day off to picnic and enjoy the begging of summer. So let me reveal some facts for you.

So Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day originates back May 30th 1868, and was established in response to the loss of American lives in the Civil war. Although many places celebrated in a similar way 1868 was the first year that it was officially recognized as a holiday (was first declared a holiday May 5th 1868). The designated purpose of this holiday was to decorate graves of those that had died in defense of their country with flowers. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays).
Waterloo, NY, oddly enough has been declared as the “birthplace” of Memorial Day in 1966 by Congress and then by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. Although a number of cities, argue Memorial Day/ Decoration Day and it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country. To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps." The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

So in honor of our beloved soldiers, Thank you and thank you to all the friends and family for making our country so great. God Bless, and let us not forget those that gave there lives for our freedom nor the real reason for this Holiday.

100 Ways To Improve Your Happiness

Do you want to be happy? Of course you do, who doesn’t?! Here are 101 easy ways to achieve a better, happier life! Keep in mind of course that it is not not things that make us happy but our experiences.

1)First off Travel more, I am an avid traveler and love love love it, but travel really can have a profound effect on us by taking us out of our comfort zones and opening our eyes to some of the different places and lives that were unknown to us. It’s also just fun!

2) Take a weekend trip. It doesn't have to be anything costly or extravagant, even a weekend or day long break from home can make you happier.

3) Spend time by the ocean. There’s nothing like sand between your toes and fresh sea air. I make it a point to get there at least twice a year....already gone 3 times this year....maybe a good reason why I have had such a great year thus far

4) Go camping. Commune with nature closer to home—the food will taste better and you’ll sleep deeper in the great outdoors, plus it is just a lot of fun.

5) Go skydiving. Face your fears and reap the benefits of this exhilarating extreme sport—you’ll be euphoric for weeks. I can't wait to go!

6) Go stargazing. Find a spot relatively free of unnatural light and marvel at the beauty of the night sky. Love stargazing make it a point to pretty much ever clear night. xD

7) Sit in front of a beautiful view. Find a spot close by with a nice view that you can visit when you need a break. I highly recommended a nice spot on a hill to watch the sunset/sunrise.

WORK---We all gotta do it but make it fun!
8 ) Make enough money to meet your basic needs. Studies have shown that anything beyond that amount will not necessarily make you happier, plus you will not get to do everything else on this list if you work too much.

9) Avoid financial hierarchies. For a new job, choose a place where everyone makes a similar amount. People feel better when they feel equal to their co-workers.

10) Find satisfaction in the job you have. Don’t expect to find one job that will make you happy—instead focus on the positive aspects of your work instead of blaming a job for your unhappiness.

11) Take initiative at work. You’ll gain professional respect, self-fulfillment and feel more in control in the workplace.

12) Keep plants in your workspace. The LA Times found that employees who decorate their office space are more satisfied with their jobs.

13) Bake cookies and bring them to work. You’ll enjoy the baking and making your co-workers happy.

HEALTH
14) Get enough sleep. Sleeping for 8 hours per night can elevate your mood and better prepare you to greet the day. As much as I don't sleep I have to admit that it can make a world of a difference when I get some sleep.

15) Take vitamin C. Keeping your immune system happy will keep you happy. But not too much as it is fat soluble and may come out in the form of ulcers if you have too much of it.

16) Laugh out loud. Laughing releases endorphins and lowers levels of stress hormones.

17) Cook with more garlic. Garlic not only adds delicious flavor to meals, it also keeps blood pressure down to keep you relaxed and healthy.

18) Get more fresh air. Fresh air is invigorating and alters the levels of serotonin in your brain—the stuff that makes you happy! And especially when there is sunshine... I know it is rare around here but it makes a world of a difference in my mood.

19) Eat more foods with tryptophan. It has an amino acid needed to make serotonin, the chemicals that make you happy. Try more bananas, dairy products and poultry.

20) Work out. Exercising can not only make you feel better about yourself, it also releases endorphins in your body to give you a natural high. If you are like me and not a huge fan of working out try DDR, lots of fun and you still get that exercise in.

21) Eat chocolate. Besides releasing endorphins and stimulating serotonin production in your brain, chocolate releases phenylethylamine, the chemical that causes feelings of love. I am not a huge fan of chocolate but that doesn't mean you can enjoy it and tell everyone I told you it was good for ya.

22) Meditate. According to the Dalai Lama as well as several medical studies, meditation not only decreases stress, but also triggers a neurological response that makes you happy. Practice being still and knowing God is God and you are not....it is a tough one but so peaceful once you finally come to except it.

23) Do yoga. Learning to control your breathing through yoga practice helps you control your responses to stress and fear.

24) Get a massage. Besides its relaxing properties, the touch involved in massage creates warmth in your body and releases the chemical oxytocin—also known as the cuddle hormone.

25) Eat chickpeas (or other beans). Chickpeas have an amino acid that makes you happy, and beans keep your sugar levels steady throughout the day.

26) Have sex. Numerous studies show that a healthy sexual intimacy with a caring partner can have tremendous physical and emotional benefits. Please save this one for marriage, it will be worth it.

27) Install more windows in your house. Getting enough exposure to the sun has been proven to be crucial to happiness and well-being.

28) Put full-spectrum lights in your home or office. If you live in a wintry climate that doesn’t get much sun, you can replicate the effect with light bulbs that mimic the sun’s rays.

29) Drink coffee. Studies in Brazil showed that people who drink coffee every day are less likely to suffer from depression. Coffee is the world’s most popular mood-enhancing drug, but remember to drink in moderation, or if coffee isn't your thing you can try Tea or Dew like me...the dew might end up killing you but it sure lightens my mood xD

30) Eat more spinach. Popeye’s favorite green is packed with folic acid, an important vitamin that boosts serotonin production.

31) Eat foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Certain kinds of fish like salmon or sardines have Omega-3, which is known to elevate mood levels—high doses are even used to treat depression.

32) Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables. They contain antioxidants which help remove toxins
from our bodies that cause stress and aging.

33) Put some strawberries in your breakfast. The smell of strawberries is known to invigorate and energize. Yummmy!!

34) Drink hot mint tea. The scent of fresh mint is energizing and the steam will perk you up.

ATTITUDE
35) Smile. It takes fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown. Plus it is proven that people that smile more are happier xD and Smiles are contagious....if you don't believe me just go a head and try it, I guarantee it will spread...

36) Make a grateful list. Focus on all the great things in your life to enhance feelings of joy and attract more good things. With this forget the icky things....focus on the positive there are a lot more of them then you may think.

37) Break outside your comfort zone. Being comfortable doesn’t make you happy—challenging yourself does.

38) Follow your gut. Most of the time your first instinct is not only correct, but the best choice.

39) Don’t regret your decisions. If it turns out you were wrong, don’t waste time worrying about it, instead make the next best decision and move forward. What is done is done, and can worry add anything to your life? Nothing good that's for sure.

40) Accept that you can’t be happy all the time. Focus on being content and the truly happiness will be all that much sweeter.

41) Try to see from others’ perspectives. Much of our unhappiness comes from our frustration with other people not understanding us. Try to imagine how they see the world and the frustration will ease.

42) Let the little things go. There’s no sense in wasting your energy and inhibiting your happiness by worrying about things you can’t change.

43) Make the decision to be happy. Happiness is an attitude, not a physical state.

44) Don’t take things personally. So often, anger and frustration directed at us is a result of someone else’s misplaced stress. Recognize that it’s not necessarily about you and you’ll remain calmer and happier.

45) Savor the small moments. People who take longer to enjoy small moments and then reflect on them later in the day show significant increases in happiness.

46) Avoid comparing yourself to others. It’s damaging to self-esteem—focus on your own achievements. There is always going to be someone better out there stop trying to beat them out...instead compare yourself to yourself a year ago.

47) Make meaningful goals. Harvard scientists say humans need a sense of purpose to thrive and that people with dreams and aspirations are happier than those without.

48) Embrace spirituality. Research suggests that people who participate in a religious community or explore alternate sets of beliefs are happier and better adjusted in life.

49) Have a good cry when you need it. Allowing yourself to break down completely is cathartic and you’ll feel better after you let it all out.

50) Learn to forgive yourself. Focusing on your past mistakes serves no purpose besides keeping you from moving on.

51) Maintain perspective. When life starts to feel out of control, remind yourself of the positive things in your life and how lucky you are.

52) Define what happiness means for you. Don’t worry about what other people define as happy, find what makes you happy and go for it.

RELATIONSHIPS
53) Stay close to friends and family. Moving far away from networks of support can take a toll on your level of happiness—even if you have moved in order to make more money.

54) Get a dog, preferably a puppy or two so you can give one to me... The studies showing the positive effects man’s best friend can have on your psyche are numerous: better emotional and physical health and a wagging tail.

55) Give more hugs. Hugging releases the same chemical as massage and is always free! And after all everyone loves a hug ...even if it is only secretly.

56) Make time for your friends. Personal connections are so important and making even a little time to be with people who make you smile can keep you happy.

57) Make new friends. Meeting other people is exciting and finding a new person with whom to connect can only enhance your fulfillment.

58) Write thank-you notes. Expressing gratitude makes you and the recipient happy.

59) Call your mom. Or your dad, or your grandma or anyone you haven’t talked to in a while and surprise them with a chat. If it doesn't make you happy I am sure it will make there day.

60) Get a cat. If you’re not a dog person, cats make wonderful, loving, stress-reducing housemates and bed-warmers. And if you are not a cat person you can always take out your anger on the cat...that ought to cheer ya up.

61) Cuddle up with someone you love. Enjoy time with your kids or your partner for instant happiness.

62) Babysit for a friend. Being around children’s infectious optimism is sure to boost your mood.

63) Hold a baby. They’re cute and cuddly and without a care in the world—you’ll feel instantly uplifted.

ACTIVITIES
64) De-clutter. A clean home is a clean mind, and you’ll feel better in an orderly environment.

65) Donate to charity. Giving to those less fortunate than you will make you appreciate what you have.

66) Rent a comedy. Take an hour and a half out of your day for pure laughing entertainment and you’ll feel instantly boosted.

67) Watch kittehroulette.com. If watching nonstop videos of playful kittens doesn’t lift your spirits, nothing will.

68) Take a nap. A quick power nap, especially on a sunny afternoon, is luxurious and will help you make it through the day.

69) Change one thing in your daily routine. You’ll stave off boredom and might discover something new that delights you.

70) Take a walk. Taking a quick walk, even just around the block can clear your mind and raise your mood.

71) Surround yourself with smells that make you happy. Smell is a much overlooked sense that greatly affects our mood—try a coconut shampoo that reminds you of a vacation or bake cookies that remind you of childhood.

72) Listen to upbeat music. Even just a few minutes of a hip-shaking tune gets your blood flowing and makes you feel more positive.

73) Set your alarm early on a day you know you get to sleep in. When you wake up you’ll get the pleasure of realizing that you don’t have to get out of bed—then rolling over for some more satisfying zzz’s.

74) Paint a room in your house yellow. Looking at the color yellow has been proven to improve moods.

75) Make a home cooked-meal. You’ll get not only tasty food, but the pride of having made it yourself.

76) Dress up for no reason. Putting on clothes that make you feel good increases your self-esteem and your mood.

77) Add some soft blue to your bedroom. Light blue has been shown to be the most calming color and can set the mood for a restful night’s sleep—essential to a positive attitude.

78) Do something you loved as a kid. Riding a roller-coaster or going sledding can help you connect to your inner child and remember simple thrills.

79) Wear red. Red can make us feel confident, powerful and strong.

80) Splash on some perfume/aftershave. Studies show that floral scents can make you happier.

81) Volunteer your time. Selfless acts and helping others is a fast route to genuine contentment.

82) Decorate your home for the holidays. Preparing for holiday celebrations is always fun and a great excuse to invite friends and family over.

83) Take time for yourself. Go to a movie, or a museum or a walk around town by yourself to re-connect.

84) Perform random acts of kindness. Hold open a door for a stranger or leave some money in the vending machine, for no other reason than doing something nice for your fellow man.

85) Send snail-mail. Rediscover the pleasure of old-fashioned communication.

86) Make time to curl up with a good book. It can be either a thought-provoking tome or a guilty pleasure.

87) Invest in fancy bedding. Be cozy and happy drifting to sleep and wake up to a happy morning.

88) Go bowling or mini golfing with friends.

89) Dance. Alone or at a club, dancing is fun and stress-releasing.

90) Pay off your credit card debt. Debt can be a major source of stress and you’ll feel great when you eliminate it from your life.

91) Clean the house. Even if you don’t like cleaning, a clean home can drastically improve your attitude.

92) Volunteer at a local animal shelter. You’ll get the pleasure of knowing you’re lending your time and brightening the day of some furry friends.

93) Find a hobby. Painting, singing, tai chi—it doesn’t matter as long as you have an outlet to express yourself.

94) Turn off your phone for a day. Let people know in advance that you are taking a personal day and can only be reached in case of emergency. Savor the silence.

95) Sing in the shower. It doesn’t matter what you sing, just make sure you belt it as loud as possible.

96) Stash some money in a secret place so you can discover it later. Pick a spot you’re likely to forget so you get a thrill weeks or months later when you stumble on it.

97) Enjoy a guilty pleasure TV show. Make some popcorn and banish the guilt—we all need a cheesy escape sometimes.

98) Go for a walk or jog in the rain. The high produced by exercise will be heightened by the cool rain on your face.

99) Enjoy a cold beer or chilled wine on a hot day. Need I say more?

100) Go to hear live music. Hearing music live puts you in the moment in a way an iPod can’t.

Shamrock Update 2011

Well now that the shakes are getting mighty scares round here I guess I gotta do my final count for the 2011 season.... Wait for it Wait for it.... I had a grand total of 62 SHAKES (That is 4 smalls, 6 larges, and 52 mediums, I am a medium kinda gal what can I say)!!!!!! That is 24 more than last season xD. Deff one for the record books!! My highlight was most deff shakes number 50 and 51. As both ended up being free, 50th because I told them of my accomplishment and then 51st because they put a cherry in the 50th and I asked for no cherry!!! =) Was a super awesome night. I will have to check to see how much weight I have put on in these last 3 months....super long season this year too thanks to them ordering so much ....love love loved that too!!!!! Till next year ....

100 Ways to Simplify Your Life!

You see, when we’re born we see the world in an uncomplicated way. We know what we need, and we ask for it. We like nice people, and we don’t like mean people. We sleep when we’re tired, we eat when we’re hungry, and we stop eating when we’re full. As we grow older, we eat and drink to console ourselves, rather than addressing what’s bothering us. We overwork to avoid close relationships, rather than finding people we can trust to form strong bonds with. We hold grudges, play games, spend more than we make, want things we don’t need, and we get too far away from our basic human needs. In other words, we complicate things.

Here are 100 ways to uncomplicate it... And yes this is a list I have yet to master myself, someday, perhaps.

1. Don’t try to read other people’s minds

2. Get up 30 minutes earlier so that you don’t rush/get a ticket while driving too fast/have to explain why you’re late/get fired

3. Get 8 hours of sleep per night so that you think more clearly

4. Stick to your budget

5. Start saving and investing every week, no matter how little you can spare

6. Balance your checkbook

7. Don’t try to be friends with everyone. Cultivate closer relationships with fewer people.

8. Don’t try to do business with everyone. Identify your target client and take very good care of them.

9. Before getting angry, ask yourself if it will really matter in 20 years

10. Focus on being a good person, not on pleasing others

11. Stay home this Saturday, and finish off that nagging chore that you need to finish

12. Kiss and make up

13. Make a weekly menu, and shop for only those items at the market

14. Ask your grandparents the best way to uncomplicate life, and try it for a month, there really is a lot of wisdom in years

15. Fill up your gas tank when it’s half full

16. Don’t drink alcohol when you’re tired, sad or mad

17. Pay your bills on time

18. Get an annual physical examination

19. Say “I love you” to your significant other and to your children. Studies show that more marriages last, and fewer kids use drugs, when these words are spoken every day.

20. For just one day, imagine everyone’s intentions are good because most people’s are

21. Give away clothes that haven’t been worn in two years

22. Throw out clothes that are in disrepair, and can’t be mended

23. When you have a conflict with someone, talk it out. Don’t let it turn into more than it is.

24. Know what your priorities are in life, and act as if they are your priorities

25. Tell the truth

26. Don’t cheat

27. Don’t steal

28. If you’re holding on to a ridiculous grudge, let it go

29. Clean your house weekly, so that it doesn’t become too large a chore

30. Do your best at work, or at school

31. Don’t eat when you aren’t hungry

32. Eat when you are hungry

33. Be yourself

34. Say no unapologetically

35. Cook simple meals

36. Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses

37. Pay off your car before buying a new one

38. Organise your desk at the office

39. Change your smoke alarm batteries when the clocks spring forward, and again when they fall back

40. Organise your important paperwork

41. Take only half the clothes that you planned to take with you on holiday

42. Help your children with their homework every night, and have an open dialogue with their teachers

43. Have white sheets and white towels in children’s rooms/bathrooms, because they’re easily bleached

44. Spend your time with nice people

45. Avoid drama

46. Don’t text or talk on the phone while driving

47. Turn off the television/video games/computer; they’re time consumers

48. Don’t engage in office politics

49. Refuse to gossip, or talk behind other people’s backs

50. Do the dishes right after dinner

51. Never go to sleep angry

52. Ask nicely for what you need and want

53. Walk 10,000 steps per day to help your heart

54. Do 20 push-ups before speaking in anger

55. Leave work at work

56. Don’t befriend anyone that isn’t trustworthy

57. Don’t envy others

58. Have your oil changed

59. Take vitamin C BEFORE you catch a cold

60. Don’t work more than 8 hours per day

61. Weed your garden weekly

62. Wash your car weekly

63. Have a spring cleaning month every year, and do one room at a time

64. You don’t need to be best friends with work colleagues, but build respectful partnerships

65. Don’t drink and drive

66. Don’t look for reasons to be angry or sad, look for reasons to be happy. You’ll always be able to find plenty of each.

67. Be friendly with your neighbours

68. Return emails and phone messages promptly

69. Schedule in free time

70. Don’t procrastinate

71. Do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it

72. Be more flexible when you’re able to be

73. Forgive and forget. End of story.

74. Break the consumerism habit…put a three month moratorium in place on buying anything not deemed a necessity

75. Start your diet on September 1, rather than January 1, so that you won’t also have holiday pounds to lose

76. Take care of any health issues or concerns

77. Have your tires rotated

78. Have your brakes checked

79. Have your eyes checked

80. Don’t let your imagination run away with you

81. Let go of perfection in others

82. Let go of perfection in yourself

83. Don’t try to help those that refuse to help themselves

84. Find a way to reduce your commute to work

85. Have an alloted amount of worry time per day/week, that you strictly abide by

86. Drink more water

87. Eat more salmon

88. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill

89. Wear your hair in a classic, easy to care for style

90. Finish what you start

91. Wear classic clothes and shoes that never go out of style

92. Create a daily routine

93. Have a 1, 5, 10 and 20 year plan for your financial and life goals

94. Slow down

95. Eat out less often

96. When you ask your husband which outfit looks best, thank him for his answer and wear the one he liked rather than focusing on why he didn’t like the other one

97. Allow your children to grow up

98. Clean out your garage, and donate anything that hasn’t been used in the past year

99. Stretch every day

100. If a relationship is over, let it go

Shamrock Update

Hey guys so this has been the most deliciously amazing shamrock shake season here in upstate New York anyhow. They apparently ordered way too much shamrock shake, although if you ask me they simply never ordered enough before. Either way the shakes are still around although they won't last much longer and are starting to dwindle :(. But it is May so I can't complain too much and I have so far gotten in a tasty 48 (That is 3 smalls, 4 larges, and 41 mediums)!!! If all goes well I should make that a nice 50 by the official end of the season xD. But just thought I would keep you updated and let you know that last years record (38) was clearly blown out of the water, although I must admit it was harder to blow away then I thought and I am certainly setting my self up for a challenge for next year. Of the information I was able to obtain I discovered that there was a 30 cent price difference among the 13 McDonald's that I went to for this season all in Broome/ Tioga Areas. Oddly enough Binghamton was home to both the most expensive and the cheapest that I found. The winner for best Shamrock shake maker in the area after several comparisons was the McDonald's right in Endicott on Maine Street they made it perfect just about every time and with a perfect swirl props to them xD. Worst makers in the area was Vestal McDonald's on 434, they would mix in chocolate at the bottom or strawberry or just fail, pretty consistently, they made it right once or twice but by far the worst makers I came across. As far as outside the Southern Tier I unfortunately did not get too much info this year if you know any please pass it on I would love to know. I am hopefully moving soon and it would be a big help if I knew all the info. I did get a few sources from Western NY Buffalo and Rochester area and it seems to be nearly identical prices as here except they did not oder. nearly as much so they ran out a while ago. But in Connecticut they have them on the dollar menu!!! How sick is that, pretty much half the price as the average for a small here was $1.99. That was quite depression to here and Connecticut

is deff on the moving list for next march.

My Official Bucket List

Travel and Travel Related Adventures

There's something magical about traveling, it's as if the world opens up to you. I've experienced strangers acting like family and old friends opening their heart and homes along the way. I want to go so many places before I die I would like to see just about everything, but I have narrowed it down a little by giving myself these hopefully obtainable goals.

*To set foot on each of the seven continents. Antarctica will be the last, but I got to see them all once. Been to 2, 5 more to go...

*To go to all 50 states. I have been to 18 so far...32 more to go

*Travel around the world- like around the whole thing

*To go abroad and live like a local for 6 months +.

*Climb one of the world’s Seven Summits.

*Go on an African Safari

*Scuba dive ideally in the Great Barrier Reef, but at least somewhere.

*Spend 24 hours alone in the jungle, well with the animals of course


*Stand at the North or South Pole.

*Go to the Grand Canyon

*Go to Vegas

*See the Northern Lights (the Aurora Borealis)

*Go to the Amazon Rainforest

*See the Acropolis in Greece

*Go to Hagia Sophia, Turkey

*See Italy all of it

*See the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt up close

*Go to the Great Wall of China

*See the Taj Mahal, India

*Ride a camel in the Sahara desert



*Go Backpacking through Europe

*See the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

*See Mount Rushmore

*Climb up the Statue of Liberty

*Visit Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

*Go to Israel

*Go Island Hopping in the Caribbean


Things I want to learn and do

Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.

~Fire a Pistol

~Swim with dolphins



~Meet the love of my life

~Have sex

~Get a pet snake, lizard, puppy and calf

~Join a bowling league

~Learn to ski

~Learn to water ski

~Go to a dance with a date

~Climb an active volcano

~Go skydiving



~Surf

~ Experience being drunk or high

~Go sailing

~Hike the Appalachian Trail

~Ride a unicycle

~Learn to skateboard on ramps

~Go windsurfing

~Go deep sea fishing

~Go ice fishing

~Go alligator hunting

~Go snowboarding



~Go snowmobiling

~Learn to play an obscure musical instrument, such as The Hang

~Dive with a whale shark

~Fencing

~Learn to say “hello” in 50 languages

~Learn sign language

~Learn to play the guitar

~Compose a song

~Sing Karaoke in public

~Learn these dances; Salsa, Rhumba, the Cha-cha-cha, Tango, Waltz, the Foxtrot, Samba, Ballroom dancing, the Flamenco, the Jitterbug, and Hula.

~Ride in a hot air balloon

~Go paragliding

~Go snorkeling in a shipwreck

~Ride a mechanical bull




~Attend a Rodeo

~Go white water rafting

~Go rock climbing

~Race a sports car

~Go jet skiing

~Go paint balling, and play lazor tag

~Take a canopy tour (traversing between trees on a zip line)

~Ride the 10 largest roller coasters in the world

~Go on a cruise

~Experience weightlessness

~Learn how to use a pogo stick effectively

~Learn to let myself make mistakes and try new things even if I will fail

~Learn not to take what others do or say personally

~Learn to act within my sphere of influence and stop worrying about things which are not within my control

~Mush a Dog Sled

~Have an aquarium

~See a platypus

~Spend a week at a Silent Retreat

~Learn to forgive fully

~Bike through the entire Colorado Trail or Continental Divide Trail

~Go heli skiing



~Explore the depths of the ocean and sea in submersible or submarine

~Do 25 pull ups all in one set

~Milk a poisonous snake

~Ride something bigger than a horse. Trekking through the jungle on the back of a two story tall elephant will surely be something you remember forever.

~Learn to live in the now

~Go to A Broadway Play

~Go to the Kentucky Derby

~Go to a St. Patrick’s Day Parade

~Go to Times Square on New Year’s Eve

Things to Accomplish

Personal development is your springboard to personal excellence. Ongoing, continuous, non-stop personal development literally assures you that there is no limit to what you can accomplish.

*Make stained glass windows, or blow glass



*Let go of all of my negative emotions and limiting beliefs

*Discover my life’s purpose

*To live each day in search of bringing God glory

*Kick negative habits (caffeine addiction, overeating, watching too much television, spending too much wasted time online)

*To pray all day everyday

*To know what it means to follow ever Christ fully

*Learn to say “no” without feeling guilty

*Get married

*Write a book

*Save someone's life

*Have children



*Buy or build a house

*Get a PhD

*Cut the ribbon at a major opening

*Make the front page of the newspaper

*Make a difference in at least one person’s life

*Build a Habitat for Humanity Home

*Volunteer someplace making a great impact

*Donate blood

*Become a Mentor

*Write a children’s book

*Write a travel book

*Go on at least 2 game shows



*Leave a valuable contribution in my area of expertise what ever that ends up being

*Invent something amazing and patent it

*Create my own board game

*Make a documentary film of my life

*Have my blog get to the Technorati top 1000

*Create a home with an inviting, joyous, comfortable, loving atmosphere.

*Master DDR, get a C or higher on Expert in all the songs

*Shake hands with someone who has truly changed a country.

*Break a Guinness World Record

*Leave a Mark in this world


I will be keeping you all up to date as I meat each of these, shall be a mighty adventure....remember to live each day as your last and never take a moment for granted.

It's The Most Shamrock-ful Time Of The Year!!!!!!!

Tuesday night after a super duper bible study, I got the most random urg to go to McDonald's before heading off to my night job. I had no idea why since I am not usually a big fan of McDonald's and hadn't been there in months. But I could not resist as I was craving something I knew not what. As I pulled through the drive through and looked at the sign I knew instantly that I had been guided there by God himself as I saw SHAMROCK SHAKES!!!!! I had no idea that they were ever offered this early, as early March was the earliest I had ever gotten one. And I was so so so excited!!!!! They are back my friends and just as delicious as ever, this year they are even offering whipped cream and a cherry to top them off!!!! And as I am now surrounded by McDonald's I see nothing stopping me from shattering last years record of 38! I am well on my way with 8 so far and it isn't even March. Just thought I would let you all know the Shakes are back get them while they last!!!!! Enjoy!!!!

Ithaca Ice Wars

As we well know winter is upon us meaning time for ice and cold. But with all the freezing temperatures also comes the perfect conditions for the start of the Ithaca Ice Wars Ice Carving Competition, part of the downtown Winter Festival this Friday and Saturday.




Saturday's events also include the first Ithaca Chowder Cook-off. Modeled after the February Chili Cook-off, 20 restaurants will compete for the title of downtown's best chowder.



The popular and interactive Ice Throne will once again adorn the Aurora Street pavilion during the festival. I love ice sculptures and even better watching them be made with a bowl of chowder in hand hope you got to enjoy it.

Learning Patience

Today's word for the day task for the day and quote for today all in one. Enjoy today the job is to be and learn patience, that means with everyone, not always so easy.

But here is a inspiring quote "Patience with others is Love, Patience with self is Hope, Patience with God is Faith."~ Adel Bestavros

So lets try to be patient with others today as well as with ourselves and especially with God, which I admit is often the hardest for me.

Patience in Finnish is kärsivällisyydestäsi so take the challenge and practice you kärsivällisyydestäsi today.

For me this meant having to wait in a very long line in the cold for some pancakes for an hour and not get mad at some people seeking to the front of the line. This also meant in an unrelated example being patient with God as I try to figure out what I am supposed to be doing with my life.

Gyno Visit

So I have been very blessed, as I have never been to a gynecologist, until today that is, nor had I had the pleasure of receiving a breast exam or, the favorite, a papsmere. Yes I now I was very fortunate to have gone so long without one after all I am nearing 22. So how did I go so long? Well I avoid doctors and I don't have sex ...work out pretty well for me I think. Why now? Well when you health insurance is given an expiration date and you figure that might not be a bad thing to try before I have to pay a million dollars for it you will do a lot of stupid things. So yeah my mom signed me up to go to the gyno.

As with most people on there first visit I was really nervous and afraid of what they were going to do but mostly embarrassed. For those of you that don't know me and I am really shy and do not let anyone see me in my underwear let and especially not naked. Ewwww! Even two years with my housemates hasn't changed that for me. So yeah I was really terrified and really uncomfortable going. On top of that it was getting uncomfortably close to that time of the month if you know what I mean and can you imagine? Ewww why did my mom set it up for that time? I was so worried but this morning came and some how my trusted friend was being a little slow and I was so glad for it. So I go in fill out a million forms like usually and then go in get all the normal things done and it doesn't see so bad. I mean the nurse even subtracted weight for me (4 pounds!) so I was feeling very good. Then I was reminded yet again of the most awkward part of all of this and that is that the Gyno is actually my mom's friend who goes to our church and is my facebook friend. For some reason undressing to a complete stranger seemed so much more appealing to me. Like what if something is wrong with me I don't want her to know or think of me naked everytime I see here in church now. Or worse what if something down there is no more and then she is convinced that I am a liar and a non-virgin. Great this is just great now all my mom's friends are going to know my issues. Not to mention awkward I mean she knows me and I am going to have to see her after this.

So I was really not looking forward to her coming in as I took off everything with the one exception of my mis-matched shocks, as least she would not have to see my feet and I could keep my newly broken toe hidden. Then I uncovered a wonderful surprise, my friend my late friend had arrived! Oh boy oh boy I was so excited, not. Panicked I found some tissues and whipped up all I could hoping that it would just stop and this would be quick. She then came in and was of course very friendly asking about how I was doing in college and about this and that. Great I could not just pretend to be anybody she new me and yeah you can only imagine how awkard it was when I had to slip out of the gown and she began the rather intensive breast examination. Nothing like what I had pictured it to me, it was so much more revealing and so much more awkward and so much more feeling and hands on. Let me just tell you that the horror stories you hear are in fact true and actually a lot better then the reality of the pervasiveness of this exam. So yeah I was through-ally embarrassed and really uncomfortable. But worst of all I was terrified of what was next, the breast thing was taking so long and I was sure I was bleeding now so what is she going to think how gross is that going to be should I stop her? I was so worried, and had no idea of what to do. Then came the answer to my prayers.

She left the room to get something to stick up there, fun I know but it gave me the chance to clean myself up before she did that. When she came back she brought a friend to help her. Great just want I need another person to show off my stuff to. more awkward but I just wanted to be done to get out of there and to got home. And I must say that yes the horror stories of pap-smears are also true and that they are in fact as bad as they sound and for me even worse than I thought. It hurt and it was not fun and it was so awkward and invasive. Yes I recognize the need for these yearly visits and I think that finding out if there are issues is really good to do, but it is not fun.

Going to the Dentist

Hey so I went to the dentist today for what may very well be the last time in a long time as I will no longer be covered under my parents for a long time. I rarely go anyways, they are always so surprised that I haven't been in years and they know to just tell me to come in at least once every couple years since they know they is no chance to get me to following the 6 month cleaning rule. But yeah I went half cause I figured I should before my insurance was out but mostly cause I chipped my tooth after running into the metal door frame in Paine. Yeah not the smartest thing to do and my dentist prohibited me from doing it any more...so not fair. But yeah so I went in and they must have stuck like four million things in my mouth between saws and glues and air and water and cleared and polish and who knows what but next thing you know my tooth was back as before just like that. I was amazing at how they did that and so fast. I guess that shows how rarely I go to dentist the technology is so much better now. So that was amazing and I as so happy, but then came the cleaning that they force me into since it has been so long and then the X-rays, and the cancer screening.
It seems like they had to use everything they had on me just cause they wanted to show it off and I admit it was fancy and neat but I don't think it is worth the ca-gillion dollars it will cost. The one thing I love in going to the dentist is that nice clean feeling you get after words and then milkshake....SHAMROCK shake you get at McDonald's afterwords if you are good, and the of course the prizes and new toothbrush that you would get although I notice there are no longer prizes... I guess I am too old for that so now all I get is more X-rays and a nice cancer screening... Oh Stickers and rings and dinosaurs sound so much better oh to be a kid again. I have also noticed a lot of other not so fun things as I have grown up. Now it seems that when they clean that really means poke and poke and dig at your gums and teeth until you bleed like crazy and then yell at you for not flossing. Is it just me or doesn't it make since that you would bleed if someone is digging and poking around with sharp metal things in your mouth?? Also what is with the rinsing every two seconds? I rise so much and usually all that comes out is blood and then I get to the part where you actually want to rise the polishing part and then there is no more rise left! So sad I guess I was supposed to be taking very small rises those first 20 million times. Woops. So yeah those are my pet peeves with the dentist. But as I sit here with a nice new smooth front tooth and that clean feeling sipping my Shamrock shake I can't complain too much now can I ?

Lets see how good you would be at DNA anlysis.

Can you find a five-letter word below? Let me know if you get it and I will see if you are right.
 
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