List Mania

Okay, so this is old.
But I figure if I posted it before, way back in the way back, nobody will probably remember anyhow. I know I don't.

And admittedly it's just a little begged, borrowed and ... all right, maybe stolen.

But I don't think Unkawill will mind.

Everything bolded - I have done:

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink

02. Swam with wild dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain - drove through a few

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone (and shower); come to think of it that might have been with the same someone

08. Said “I love you” and meant it - Haven't we all?

09. Hugged a tree - that's me; a reformed tree hugger

10. Bungee jumped - absolutely, positively no desire

11. Visited Paris - once upon a time; and I have the pictures to prove it!

12. Watched a lightning storm - or two or three dozen

13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise.

14. Seen the Northern Lights - whaddya expect? I live in Canada for heaven's sake

15. Gone to a huge sports game.

16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

17. Grown and eaten your vegetables - my mother was a gardener, she was

18. Touched an iceberg

19. Slept under the stars - ah, there's nothing like passing out in your tent in Greece

20. Changed a baby’s diaper - changed way too many baby diapers

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon - now that would be cool

22. Watched a meteor shower - Hell, I've always just wanted to see a meteor. Even one.

23. Gotten drunk on champagne - I was a cheap drunk in high school (and beyond) - Andre Baby Canadian champagne ... is that stuff even real champagne??

24. Given more than you can afford to charity - on more than one occasion. Which reminds me, it's something I should be doing again.

25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment - Not me but I had a roommate who was a lot like that

27. Had a food fight.

28 Bet on a winning horse.

29. Asked out a stranger - does just picking one up count?

30. Had a snowball fight

31.Screamed as loudly as you possibly can - I do that often; usually in the car but last year, it was just walking down the street

32. Held a lamb

33. Seen a total eclipse

34. Ridden a roller coaster - I hate roller coasters but my brother loves them and always managed to talk me into going with him when we were kids. And sitting in the back seat.

35. Hit a home run

36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking - yeah, that's my standard dancing move

37. Adopted an accent for an entire day

38 Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment - many, many times. I just wish those moments weren't so fleeting.

39. Had two hard drives for your computer

40. Visited all 50 states - haven't even made all 10 provinces.

41. Taken care of someone who was drunk - and most of those people have returned the favour.

42. Had amazing friends - lucky there; I still do

43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country - danced (like a fool) with many strangers in many foreign countries; did I ever mention my trip to Europe after my first year of college?

44. Watched whales - now this is ridiculous, I only live a couple of hours away from where they go whale watching and I've never made it. Yet.

45. Stolen a sign - I'm sorry, I think maybe it was a Yield sign. But I had accomplices help.

46. Backpacked in Europe - see above

47. Taken a road-trip - many as a kid with my family and the most recent in 2006 when Mom, the kids and I drove to Florida. Yep, that's right. Drove.

48. Gone rock climbing

49. Midnight walk on the beach - I'm sure I did this in Europe, but in all honesty I was too drunk to really remember

50. Gone sky diving - and we all know how that turned out!

51. Visited Ireland

52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love - ah, my life story

53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them - oh the things I have done with strangers; just don't tell my children, please!

54. Visited Japan

55. Milked a cow - shameful'; me being a Prairie girl and all

56. Alphabetized your CDs And cassettes and albums and Books - repeat after me: Too. Much. Time. On. Your. Hands.

57. Pretended to be a superhero - still do on occasion. But that's our little secret.

58. Sung karaoke

59. Lounged around in bed all day - God, how I wish I could. This would be (one of) my fantasies.

60. Played touch football - with our dog, a collie-wolf mix

61. Gone scuba diving - snorkeling?

62. Kissed in the rain

63. Played in the mud

64. Played in the rain - I think I see a theme going here

65. Gone to a drive-in theater -DUH!

66. Visited the Great Wall of China

67. Started a business - I guess, assuming that's what I have at the moment

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken -Yeah, how do you do that?

69. Toured ancient sites

70. Taken a martial arts class

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight - how's about Never Played D&D??

72. Gotten married - Been there, done that, doing that

73. Been in a movie

74. Crashed a party - or two or three. And been kicked out of two or three.

75. Gotten divorced - I suppose I should try not to put that on my to do list

76. Gone without food for 5 days - now that would be improvement, I'm sure!

77. Made cookies from scratch - hey, I have kids ... whaddya expect?!

78. Won first prize in a costume contest - when I was 10

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice - tres cool

80. Gotten a tattoo - No, but I've went to the Tatoo

81. Rafted the Snake River

82. Been on television news programs as an “expert” - I've often said that I play a lawyer on TV; does that count??

83. Gotten flowers for no reason - are you kidding? I have enough trouble getting flowers when there is a reason

84. Performed on stage

85. Been to Las Vegas

86. Recorded music

87. Eaten shark

88. Kissed on the first date - Yeah, about that. Probably not the best idea.

89. Gone to Thailand

90. Bought a house

91. Been in a combat zone - does my basement count?

92. Buried one/both of your parents

93. Been on a cruise ship

94. Spoken more than one language fluently

95. Performed in Rocky Horror

96. Raised children - actually better make that "Raising children"

97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

98. Passed out cold - thank God it didn't ask for a number!

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over - no, but I am considering something like that at the moment

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking

103. Had plastic surgery

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived

105. Wrote articles for a large publication

106. Lost over 100 pounds - I suppose if you added up the lost and gains maybe

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback

108. Piloted an airplane - Microsoft Flight Simulator?? Shall we count crashes??

109. Touched a stingray

110. Broken someone’s heart

111. Helped an animal give birth

112. Won money on a T.V. game show

113. Broken a bone

114. Gone on an African photo safari

115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol - no, but I would like to

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

118. Ridden a horse - It's not fair; I was horse crazy as a kid; would have killed to own one. Now I pay to give my daughter riding lessons. While I sit there and watch.

119. Had major surgery

120. Had a snake as a pet

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon - I was at the Grand Canyon. Once. Briefly.

122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours - if only!

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states - sure but in my case, that's probably not that big of an accomplishment.

124. Visited all 7 continents

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

126. Eaten kangaroo meat

127. Eaten sushi - on the to do list

128. Had your picture in the newspaper - I'm famous, I tell ya, famous!

129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about - I would like to think so but ...

130. Gone back to school - for a while there, it felt like I was never going to leave school

131. Parasailed - would be nifty

132. Touched a cockroach - yuck; no thanks

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes - hate fried tomatoes; green or otherwise

134. Read The Iliad - Now why would I want to go and do that??!!

135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - Haven't quite made it to Sarah Palin status yet
;-)

137. Skipped all your school reunions - So far... but there is a Law School one coming up this fall...

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language - That can work fairly well. Or be an absolute unmitigated disaster!

139. Been elected to public office - I did consider running for the school board once upon a time.

140. Written your own computer language

141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream - long, long ago in a land far, far away

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care - something very similar, with Mom

143. Built your own PC from parts

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you

145. Had a booth at a street fair Gun Shows,Flea Markets - no, but I've bought a lot of junk at that. Actually they're great places to buy books (the flea markets, not the gun shows)

146. Dyed your hair - do highlights count?

147. Been a DJ

148. Shaved your head

149. Caused a car accident - AR, AR, AR, no doubt a few more of those than I would care to admit

150. Saved someone’s life

So there you go. Now you know.

Life's Lessons

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it..

9.. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger..

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to g oing after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43.. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer , Cleveland , Ohio.

Who Says We Don't Do Redneck in Canada?

THE RULES OF RURAL ONTARIO ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Listen up City Slickers!

1. Pull your droopy pants up. You look like an idiot.

2. Turn your cap straight, your head isn't crooked.

3. Let's get this straight; it's called a 'dirt road.' I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.

4. They are cattle. They're live steaks. That's why they smell funny to you. But they smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? Hwy 7 & 401 goes east and west, Hwy 15 & 416 goes north and south. Pick one.

5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $150,000 combines and hay balers that are driven only 3 weeks a year.

6. So every person in rural Ontario waves. It's called 'being friendly. Try to understand the concept.

7. If that cell phone rings while an 8-point buck and 3 does are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

8. Yeah, we eat meat and potatoes. You really want sushi & caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.

9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer hunting season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

10. We open doors for women. That is applied to all women, regardless of age.

11. There's little for 'vegetarians' on the menu. Order steak. Or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham & turkey.

12. When we set a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup.

13. You bring 'coke' into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice.

14. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

15. Ontario HockeyLeague and Minor Hockey is as important here as the Maple Leafs and Montreal Habs, and more fun to watch.

16. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards -- it spooks the fish.

17.. Colleges? We have them all over. We have Universities and Community Colleges.. They come outta there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at everybody when they come for the holidays.

18. We have a whole ton of folks in the Armed Forces. So don't mess with us. If you do, you will get whipped by the best.

19. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump crap ain't music, anyway. We don't want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers. (Refer back to #1).

20. 2 inches of snow & ice isn't a blizzard - it's a vacation. Drive like you got some sense in it, and DON'T take all our bread, milk, and bleach from the grocery stores. This ain't Alaska , worst case you may have to live a whole day without croissants. The pickups with snow blades and tractors with snow blowers will have you out the next day.

H/T to Raylene

50 Life Lessons

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone, everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

H/T to Dar

What I Have Done or What Have I Done

A lengthy list, no doubt about it. Mine are in bold/italics.
And I have decided that I definitely have not done enough. Yet.

Just what I need, another To Do List!

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree (I was definitely drunk...)
10. Bungee jumped (nope and no desire to, thank you very much)
11. Visited Paris (ah, Paris in the springtime .... Okay, fine. In the summertime then.)
12. Watched a lightning storm.
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper (Too. Many. Diapers.)
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon (now that's one I do want to do)
22. Watched a meteor shower (how come I never get to see them??)
23. Gotten drunk on champagne (does the cheap kind count?)
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger (definitely drunk. Again)
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can (many, many times)
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster (Hate. All. Roller coasters.)
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends (Still do!)
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country (and danced and danced)
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign (stop sign. In college.)
46. Backpacked in Europe (tres cool!)
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving (please, please, please. Soon, soon, soon. My time will come.)
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football (with the dog!)
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites (Rome, Athens, Florence...)
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days (yeah, right)
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest (when I was 12 years old)
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date (What? You mean we're not supposed to??!!)
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents (one is enough, thanks)
93. Been on a cruise ship (world's smallest)
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children (as in raising children)
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold ... too many times to count
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over(if moving to start university counts)
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states (Heh, I kind of have an advantage there)
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper (I'm famous, I tell ya!)
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language (again, numerous times)
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident (haven't we all at one time or another?)
150. Saved someone’s life
151. Visited more foreign countries than Canadian provinces (Yeah, so, I get around. What's your point?)
152. Been to a kitchen party
153. Watched the RCMP Musical Ride
154. Buried yourself completely in a snowbank
155. Been to the top of the CN Tower

H/T to Reflections by Kris and yes, I cop to adding a few